Ying's Adventures Issue 1
by BeepBeepImmaPangolin9
Summary: This is the first fic I've ever written so please understand. It stars Ying and her bestie Evie when they were 11. Ying's a princess who has to deal with her last years of elementary and making her middle school cheer squad. Then they have to prepare for a battle royale where they transport inside a game in a stadium made during the beforetimes.
1. Chapter 1: Ying's Suspension

Chapter 1 Ying's Suspension

Yaaaaawwwwn, can I go back to bed? Wait, no I can't, I have to get ready for school and be with my friends. Anyway I'm glad you're here! While you're here I'll show you my room. I drowsily blink and tiredly stumble out of my bed but still landing on my feet. If you look on my drawer you'll see a plush turtle, handheld mirror, vanity mirror, makeup case, SiliSponge, beauty blender, eyeshadow pallet, eyelash curler, brush, combs, a DIY slime making kit, and a plush horse. There's an elegant platinum frame with a picture of me with mom and dad. I am an only child. I wonder what having a sister or brother would be like? Anyway the friends I have are like family to me.

One of my posters has The Omigoshies on them. The Omigoshies are three ladies who sing very peppy upbeat pop, and their shows are always so fun and exciting! People can hardly contain themselves as they have such incredible voices that just move you. They have songs where your body just moves on its own to the music while others move you to tears. Their name comes from how people react to them. Whether it's their voice or fashion sense people always seem to go oh my gosh whenever they see them. But they're famous, but they named their band that before they were famous so...No time to think on that now moving on please!

The Omigoshy wearing a flared tangerine knee length pleated skirt with an aqua drawstring crop top and tangerine space buns with blonde wavy hair tendrils going down the sides of her face and aqua ballet flats is Isabella.

The one with sapphire blue hair and square neckline top and shiny silver mid thigh A line skirt and wavy shoulder length jet black pigtails with shiny sapphire dyed parted bangs and sapphire blue heelless riding boots and incredible sapphire eyeshadow is Sophia she's the lead singer and aaaaaahhh her voice is incredible!

The one wearing a chartreuse hip pleat skirt and lemon top with a sweetheart neckline and a blonde messy side ponytail with puff and wavy lime highlights on her bangs is Hannah, my gosh is that color combo is so bold and daring!

My other poster has my favorite singer wearing a fitted white coat and white skinny jeans and halfway buttoned down navy blue shirt, and I love his gorgeous eyes! They glimmer like dreamy topaz gems. His hair mediumish light brown hair with dyed blonde hair in classic bangs. He is like so hot and has such an amazing voice!

On my bookcase we have The Legend of Inara's Wrath, Beginner's Telekinesis, DIY Crafts, Passing Your Tests, Making Illusions for Beginners, Healing Magic for Elementary School, and The Fearsome and Mighty Androxus. I had nightmares reading that one good thing he isn't real tho my dad pretends he disagrees. It's about this guy, demon, or whatever for over a thousand years questing to kill gods or something.

Over here we have my huge back balcony overlooking the beach with gorgeous palms tall enough to see from my second floor balcony door. Since the beach is far down the steep cliff you know that's pretty tall. Over here you can see our side stairway to the beach. The ebb and flow of the waves sounds so relaxing, the kelpy salty ocean smells so good. I quite like my teal curtains, you noticed a theme with teal haven't you? My walk in closet is over here and you can see I like pastels and shoes, so many shoes! Anyway, I have to get ready so I need a moment thank you.

Wow...I hate these knots in my hair so much! I hold my hair just past the knot so I have an easier time combing. I grab my backpack and leave my room.

Strix is in the hallway and tells me breakfast is ready. He is like a big brother and a friend of the family and works as our royal chef. I sit down, savor my waffles, and dad asked me about my cheerleading training and I tell him. I have to make the team again next year too.

"Oh I've been stretching, I made the squad last year but this time I'm going for captain."

"That's the spirit Ying!" It's May so it's mostly just practice after passing tryouts so we won't cheer at actual games or do any competitions until next grade.

Mom ask Strix to pass the syrup to which he replies, "Sure thing Alyssa!" and we continue eating our breakfast.

I get into the carriage and we see all kinds of interesting things on the way to school! I usually walk with my friends and traffic is usually like so terrible but oh well dad and I just wanna spend time together before school. Near my palace are other nice looking adobe houses, these belong to other well off families. The houses get smaller then we pass by a few stores and restaurants.

Now that we're farther away the houses are made of a dark wood. Most of the buildings get in the way of the ocean, but you can see it, galleons, and other boats, and some are sailed by pirates! People aren't surfing quite this early tho sometimes you'll see people surfing now. Other kids and families are walking to different schools and most don't look happy to go. At least there's public education, our country is one of a very few that has it I'm told.

My dad's face lightened up and smiled, "What do you think you'll learn today Ying?"

I look out the window feeling my mouth dry. "I really don't know."

"You are quite a sweet girl Ying! And your color choices are perfect! Your teal pants and shirt go so well with your brown hair!"

Wow dad is funny! I laughingly say, "That's because you wear those colors!"

Dad is wearing a violet vest with gold trim and no shirt and darker teal pants than mine. He then looks out the window then lifts his head proudly,

"Look at all those people, vulpine, wolf people, elves, dwarves, goblins, orcs, and of course so many humans. They pass each other without dirty looks and all are equal under the law. In so many other countries you are forced to conform to their ways or they won't accept you, we even have such people in our country I know right?"

He then sighs with his head down then looks back up at me, "But even our country has its problems."

He looks out the window smugly smiling. He points at a man, "You see that guy with his nose up with the proud smile and his red pea coat and red hat with the big orchid purple feather? He looks so arrogant! I think he's just trying to impress himself."

Then his mouth opens so wide, like he's in complete shock. "Oh my GOSH that lady's cerise lipstick matches her silk cropped jacket so well!" I feel light headed, roll my eyes and sigh. My father looks down, rubs his nose and shrugs then says, "What can I say I'm a man I can't help it!"

"But how would mom feel?"

He answers with a small bit of shame in his voice, "Sad jealous and threatened I don't want her to feel like that but I am a man. I hope she knows I wouldn't actually cheat."

He then mentions the tournament I want to sign up for, "I made the tournament free so poor kids won't be excluded. Who knows maybe one of them will defeat you!"

My pulse gets faster and I feel my face brighten, "You mean the 10-12 year olds in the fighting simulation? I'm signing up! And please daddy you know they aren't going to beat me no matter who their parents are! I also have friends signing up like Abby and Evie who I can coordinate with!"

Dad responds, "Where our country's strength comes from is we always accept others. In other places you are like forced so hard to be like others, but isn't it better being accepted as an equal than forcing yourself to conform only to be on the bottom of that group?" I nod my head agreeing with him as I look up into my dad's face.

I finally reach school after 10 minutes. I get out of the carriage, dad and I wave bye to each other and I walk into the school with Abby Ronnie Nessa and Evie who were all on the cheerleading squad with me last year, Ronnie and Nessa sitting under the eucalyptus. We walk over the concrete, onto the grass, which from the smell has been freshly cut, then through the glass doors. The school's hallway has the sounds of backpacks being unzipped, other kids talking, and shoes squeaking against the floor, the hall smelling of bleach.

Uggh! It's Denise! She's glaring at us meanly walking with her mean loser friends! She's up to no good I can so tell! She's walking with a couple of boys, one's fatter than she is and the other one is kinda skinny and dorky looking, and another mean looking girl. Denise herself is trying so hard to look Goth! Her black pigtails, black lipstick, black lacey top with black lacey shorts, her boots...yeah.

I look over to Abby, "So...umm...there's a tournament coming up and I was wondering if you'll work with Evie and I."

Abby smiles, "Are you kidding?! I wouldn't miss this for the world!"

Evie then looks to me, "I'll also get our squadmates to help us! I hear those no good Cougars are going to sign up! Oooooh I can so tell that Lian was up to no good at showcase!"

My jaw drops, "I know right!"

Then I sigh, my chin going to my chest and my cheeks warming...in the bad way. "Umm...sorry I lost my confidence on that stunt and couldn't finish properly, I cost us I'm so sorry!"

I don't want to blame the bases, but Nessa somehow forgot to put her finger behind my heel. On the other hand my toe shouldn't have been pointing down I couldn't stay as tight as I needed.

Evie smiles and nodes in an understanding way, "Oh don't you worry about it! We'll do way better next time!"

Evie then tells us, "It's almost time for class! I'll see you later and don't forget cheerleading tryouts are this week!"

Even though Evie and I made the all star squad I'm still afraid of not doing well at school's tryouts. Denise will probably try sabotaging my chances she's so after Evie's captain spot. Well...I kinda am too but I hope if I do get it that Evie and I will stay besties.

Monday is the day my mom packs a chocolate bar for me but she's been packing for me every day I really can't say why tho. Somehow she knows I have weird cravings for it lately, I think it has to do with the talk she had with me months ago.

I can already taste the rich and creamy chocolate melting on my tongue after finishing my prickly pear. The flavors mixing in the most pleasant of ways.

I look down at my dangling feet wishing I were taller, then back up at the whiteboard as I smell the chemise and fresh air blowing through the open window. I glance at my book, a cactus on the window shelves, the bookcase, then to my diary then out the door and then to the teacher after she starts talking. My feet are going numb from dangling so much ugh!

The teacher tells us, "In our rich history of myths very few figures are as interesting as Androxus! He slayed it so hard against mighty golems, dragons, and even gods! When Ares came back from his last god death he threatened to wipe out humanity like he did the last time! But Androxus knowing he wasn't as powerful as the last Paladin who defeated him desperately looked for a way to stand a chance against him so he traveled to another dimension and like so much eldritch energy came into him! It kinda made him crazy but he also gained so much power yet just barely defeated Ares. So Androxus became known as the godslayer, but became the evil he wanted to defeat. Oh, according to legend Ares should be alive again! But don't worry, he and Androxus aren't real and...oh I think it's almost time for lunch will you look at that!"

The teacher looks at her clock, starts walking to pass out homework as usual, goes back in front of the whiteboard and dismisses the class for lunch. I'm so looking forward to lunch! The quad is quite beautiful with its plants, trees, benches, and walkways. We mostly use the quad for walking to the gym building, library, and of course sitting at the lunch tables eating our lunches. I meet up with Evie and Abby in the quad and I find a lunch table in the courtyard and sit down with my friends then open my lunchbox and find my chocolate missing! I feel my pulse speeding, like rushing lava. I bet it was Denise gosh I hate her so much!

Oooohhh I am like so mad you seriously have no idea! I desperately ruffle through my backpack because it somehow may have fallen. Wait, does Pip have my chocolate? He's a fox boy smaller than even me. I spotted the teal Y my mom writes on my candy.

Oooooooh Pip is so gonna going to be sorry! I jump off my seat and approach that no good vulpine.

"Hey Princess..." his smile slowly fades down into a worried frown, he moves back in his seat almost brushing his shoulder against his human brother Sha Lin.

"Ummm...sorry princess?"

His eyes scrunched as if he were laughing at me on the inside. I so need that chocolate too, it has dark chocolate and almonds just what I need!

"I know you have my chocolate give it back!"

I usually hate making drama and keep the peace whenever I can...but this is just too much.

He nervously responds, "I have no idea what you're talking about your princessness just because we eat the same brand and you lost yours doesn't mean..."

"Shut up I know it's mine because mine has that marking so please give it to me okay!"

Pip looks at the teal Y and blushes with a nervous smile, scared he's been caught chocolate handed "Oh...the teal Y...right. It is a pretty shade... I can see why you love wearing it so much it so matches your eye color."

My face is getting warmer and I'm shaking. I throw his lunchbox and backpack then storm off huffing. I just want to be alone now but the principal's office awaits me. I normally don't feel upset over things like this, just what is coming over me?

The principal's office is weirdly inviting even tho I know I'm in trouble. I hope I didn't embarrass my parents I didn't mean to!

The principal is staring sternly at me, takes a sip of her matcha ice blended, a look that says I'm disappointed in you. Well you don't understand I need chocolate so badly!

She says, "Your parents aren't going to be happy over your outburst Ying. Like come on did you seriously think you could get away with that...umm...throwey thing?"

I cross my arms as I glare at the wall, away from Pip.

He looks over to me with an expression of guilt on his face saying, "Look fam I'm sorry...didn't think you'd miss it that much I mean you are a princess after all."

I keep ignoring him, like he isn't even there. "If I thought it meant that much to you I wouldn't have stolen your..."

The principal then says, "I'm giving both of you suspensions. Stay in study hall until school ends."

Two hours later I walk home, my father with his arms crossed looking down at me with a strongly disapproving face. Mom however is less forgiving. Her hands resting on her hips with a mean scowl on her face leaning forward, she didn't need to say a word, for her expression told me you're in deep trouble miss.

My dad walked me to my room and I wanted him to give in to my desire for revenge.

"You are my little princess, like literally, and I care about and love you so much! But you really shouldn't hit other kids okay!?"

"You don't understand father he stole my chocolate!"

And I've just started feeling so weird.

I get on my knees, clasp my hands and look up at him with puppy dog eyes, "Please father! Please punish him he robbed me!"

My father slowly shook his head back and forth with closed eyes and a slight frown. He got down on one knee, gently petting the back of my head looking into my eyes then tells me, "He got suspended right? Isn't that enough punishment for him? It wouldn't be fair throwing him in prison just for taking your chocolate. How would his parents feel?"

I never felt like that! I also couldn't focus as much as I wanted to in school either.

He gently and slowly puts his arms around me, smelling of pleasant sandalwood and ginger. "I know you're a good girl Ying, but you can't just go around hitting people you're better than that! Remember what I said about using your words?"

"I know dad but he stole my!"

"We can talk more later sweetness, even though I'm a work from home dad I still have work that needs to get done. Please do me a favor and behave okay?"

"Okay."

"Thank you."

He gets back up and walks out of my room. I then leap onto my bed writing into my diary about my day. I can't really concentrate and I have a headache, but oh well writing helps me.

I wake up feeling tired, heavy, and unmotivated. Since I have no school I just eat, watching people on the beach surfing and relaxing. I then meditate, practice magic, read, practice my spiriting for cheerleading practice, and stretch. I lift my hand doing spirit fingers, "Go get them you know it woo woo woo woo!" Then I follow up with a back handspring into a double full sticking it. My back bends earlier were on point but...woo woo woo woo? What's wrong with me? Why is my spiriting so bad today? Although I'm usually a flyer I can flex to tumbler if I have to, and tumbling is very important in cheerleading tryouts anyway so yeah.

Strix tells me, "You will slay at your cheerleading tryouts! I mean you guys placed second at the all star showcase! Isn't it funny that you don't actually cheer for anyone at all stars but you do for school?"

I giggle a little, "Yeah! Competitive cheer is a different game."

Strix smiles and assures me, "Don't you worry! You and Evie are level 5 cheerleaders! You're easily going to make your school's team again!"

Then I lie down in bed for the night, holding my turtle plush.

I'm at school...wait...how did I even get here? Denise and Sha Lin are making out! I don't even...I mean how can he do that to me?

"You were so mean to my brother! Tell me why I should date you after you did that! Not only that but you're too short!"

But...how can he think that? "And that shade of aqua clashes like so horribly with your brown hair! Do you even comb your hair and shop anywhere other than thrift stores? Like seriously I remember when you tried coordinating coral with aqua!" He sticks out his tongue and I just wanna cry!

Abby walks up, please don't be mean! When she's mean she can really hurt.

Her smirk is kinda mean as she leans back with her arms crossed with a snobby tone, "You're such a baby! Everyone says you're so nice but I know who you really are! You just wanna avoid conflict because you know you're a soft pushover and an easy target!"

As if her hurtful roast wasn't enough she continues, "You just don't want people challenging your position in our group of friends as the queen bee but guess what Ying? I'm captain of the soccer team yes the boys one and you're just a cheerleader! You're like so basic and I'm so much prettier than you without even trying!"

She walks past me, bumps me with her hip, looks back with a mean, arrogant smile and says, "Your ears are so pointy!"

I run away finding somewhere to cry. My bestie Evie sits down with me like she's going to comfort me, "The squad has decided we don't want you anymore. You're a loser and you'll just make us look bad so don't even bother showing up!"

"Evie...but...why?" Just when my crush started dating my bully and being mean to me. Evie gets up, looks down to me with a scowl, and tells me, "I never liked you."

I'm like so sad right now you seriously have no idea! I have a headache feel like I'm going to throw up and my throat hurts! Even tho I'm crying I can kinda tell that the school hallway is distorting as the lights flicker. I'm so sad I barely notice the pale lavender smoke and the hooded lady coming out of the violet light.

Is that...Seris? Oh no not now anytime but now! Wait, I take that back I'm feeling so hurt and miserable she can take me. All signs of the school are gone and it kinda looks like a foggy void with white and violet light. She floats over to me, my feelings are so hurt from my "friends" any sense of ohmigosh that's the legendary witch and my bully admires you so much are lost.

With a gentle coolness to her voice she looks down at me and tells me, "You are going through a hard time, but you'll make it. You love your friends, but you should have more faith in them."

Wow is she serious? After how they treated me?

She vanishes leaving smoke in her place.

I suddenly wake up and find myself crying in real life. I look into my vanity mirror and wipe my tears away. Am I really that hideous when I'm sad?

I decide I actually want to do something today so I carefully pick out my wardrobe, pink flouncy pants with a white puffed sleeve crewneck with pink sleeves.

After healing a bit and the sadness washing away I look into the vanity mirror and ask myself, "There's no way Seris is real...right? I mean dad claims he met Androxus but dads tell their kids tales to seem cool I mean what can be cooler than meeting Androxus and living to tell about it?"

Dad heard me and yells, "Yeah huh I did!" I smile and roll my eyes, that's my dad for you.

I kinda feel bloated, it's times like these I'm glad I wear elastic waist pants. This is the last day of my suspension and see what Strix is doing. I go downstairs and into the kitchen. Oh he isn't here?

I shrug, "Oh well breakfast can wait, it's still kinda early."

I go into the book room, levitate, then grab a cheerleading book off the shelf. So many of these tumbling skills are still too advanced for me, so I stretch and do conditioning. Tuck jumps are such a pain.

I go back into the kitchen and...there's a note?

"Dear Royal family,

To whoever reads this, I'm v sorry that I'm leaving I'm working for a restaurant. So yeah I'm kinda moving out sorry for the short notice k thanks bye I'll miss you guys!"

Really Strix? Why are you leaving so suddenly? I feel a tear going down my cheek, but as I do so I hear a startling, "Boo!"

Strix appears in front of me and starts laughing! He smirks and says, "It's just a prank!"

I lightly punch his arm, "Ha ha very funny!" I then get over it and ask him, "Can I help with breakfast?"

"Of course you can Ying! The eggs are in the fridge." I get the eggs out of the fridge but I'm too short to reach the pan! I'd levitate but you know I'd have to concentrate on that when cooking I mean I can multitask but I'm just not good enough to know I can do it yet, so yeah I just stand on a chair.

Strix comes up to me and says, "Allow me. Do you wanna fry with coconut or olive oil?"

"Hmm tough choice, I feel like coconut oil!"

"Excellent choice Ying!" It was in the fridge so it's solid now so he's waiting for it to preheat.

"Stand back, for any oil splashing can be quite painful! Wanna get the waflfles?"

Strix and I make waffles, which also needs eggs. I get more of the batter stuff and crack the eggs.

After 10 minutes mom and dad come to the table. Mom says, "Your father and I are going away on important business. Will you watch our little JD Ying while we're gone Strix?"

I shake my head side by side with my lips sucked in. Dad says, "Oh our little Ying isn't a JD she's sweet and kind!"

Mom replies, "Oh I know dear, she has to learn her lesson."

Mom looks back as her and dad walk out the door, "Stay out of trouble dear!"

Strix says, "Looks like you're spending the day with me! Want me to tell you more about the stealth magic?" I look up at him smiling nodding my head.

"I'm still kinda getting used to it. Even so like it takes so much magical energy to keep the state and I don't have much magical stamina to begin with. It has this lavender light going over me before I go invisible. An okay way to save energy is using a smoke bomb spell it's way less energy but not really invisible smoke just blocks you, I don't know that one tho."

"Wow Strix I had no idea you were studying stealth magic! So where did you learn it?"

He shrugs and tells me, "Ninjas."

I ask Strix if we can chill at the beach. I get my sandals and a towel and just kinda sit and we enjoy the sun kissing our faces. I walk over to the wet part the water flows over which doesn't burn my feet like the dry sand then I go halfway down the calf in the water. The water's pretty cold until you get used to it. There are pirate and other ships, surfers, and others just relaxing. It's quite sunny outside, and the sea breeze is somehow nicer feeling and smelling than usual today. I sometimes sleep with my balcony door open and that faces the ocean so I'm used to it.

Later in the day after school ends Ronnie and Nessa greet me! "Hey Ying wanna hang out with us?"

I shake my head yes and they agree to help me get ready. I tell them their hair and outfits look good so we go into my room to pick an outfit. They go into my bathroom to wet my beauty blenders. For today's outfit we agree that pink and white would be best. Flouncy pink pants and a white top with pinked puffed sleeves. Since it's May and only 3:45 I put on light day makeup. Ronnie and Nessa are helping me and they use the SiliSponge to apply a foundation that goes on sheer. Nessa then puts champagne highlighter on my inner eye with my mini micro beauty blender.

Ronnie grabs my dark brown eyeliner pencil and I shake my head and go, "No!" I'm afraid of it touching my eye the waterline is off limits!

Nessa then tells me, "But it'll bring out your eyes so nicely!"

They go into my eyeshadow palette and ask me if I want to use the coral, sugar plum, or orchid eyeshadow and I think on it and decide on the sheer orchid because I like how it coordinates with my pink.

Ronnie grabs my primer to really bring out the coral. They recommended I use a matte warm coral lip liner on the corners of my mouth and moisturizing lip gloss in pink. My makeup matches my clothes so nicely! I feel so confident right now, like I'm so ready to attack the day! How did Ronnie and Nessa learn so much about makeup?

They must have borrowed one of our books because we have so many books. We have makeup books that are organized by day night and season. Then you have our hairstyle books, color theory, and interior design. We also have fashion books divided by age group species and gender Pip can steal the one for vulpine boys because his dirty raggy style has got to go. That isn't even counting so many war and trade books I don't even care about that mom and dad read or Strix's many cookbooks.

After walking down the street for 15 minutes Ronnie points at a big lady with short hair and as she giggles Ronnie whispers to me, "I thought that was a guy!"

"Me too Ronnie!" Nessa lightly grabs our arms and says, "Run away or she'll eat you!" We walk really fast down the street.

"Oh good she can't see us! I don't think she heard us but still." Ronnie says.

She went on, "Sorry about Pip stealing your chocolate. I'd so hate it if he took mine."

The beach air smells so fresh and salty in a good way not the angry way and mixes nicely with the smell of sage and chia. I tell my friends, "I just realized there's a dwarf is painting a palm tree. Like seriously what's so fascinating about them?"

Ronnie asks me, "Say why do people like painting those things so much? Like seriously they take up so much sidewalk space standing in everyone's way!"

I shrug, "I have no idea."

We walk into a pharmacy, and of course there's Pip! I feel like I wanna spit and feel a headache and kinda feel my face tightening. I hate that thief so much!

Nessa says, "This way quickly!" We go to the medical aisle and pick up gauze, cotton pads, and socks.

Ronnie tugs on the cloth over my shoulder. "He's heading this way!"

I say, "At least he won't see us buying something else!"

We overhear him saying, "Aww yeah I gotta steal some of these! They'll come in quite handy for my alchemy projects!"

I shrug, look at Nessa to my right then Ronnie to my left and whisper, "Don't ask let's just go!"

We all grab some aloe vera juice and Pip asks about the socks gauze and cotton pads. I really don't want to talk to him so Ronnie tells him, "Just a DIY project." Well she isn't lying.

We go to the register and grab chocolate bars then buy what we need and quickly leave. However, Pip was gone nowhere to be seen near the registers. I'm so going to tell everyone at school he stole.

We walk further down the street and smell perfume, and see a fancy marble and glass building. It's an upscale department store. It isn't very busy today but there are a few ladies shopping.

Ronnie tells me, "You wouldn't believe what Evie bought here the other day! She has this thick black silk vest with a ripped flannel skirt and purple and black horizontal striped leggings! And those fingerless gloves seriously? Who is she trying to be?"

I shrug and reply, "I don't know but that's our Evie. Say, can I tell you two a secret? I'm still kinda jealous that Evie made squad captain and I didn't, and why wasn't I invited?"

Nessa sighs then tells me, "Your mom answered the door and told us you were suspended, and we saw their carriage wasn't here so we figured they were out this time."

The saleswoman tells us, "It doesn't seem right for middle school girls to be walking by themselves without a parent. There are dangerous pirates out there!"

Nessa looks at Ronnie and I and whisper, "She thinks we're in middle school!"

I reply shrugging, "Well it does start in August."

Ronnie excitedly yells hopping up and down quickly, "AAAAAAAHHHHH! Oh my gosh that skirt!"

I look at it, the texture is denim and it's a subtly shiny titanium gray. It looks like it could pair well with dark blues, or maybe even some darker reds. It's such a unique shade of gray. It comes to the mannequin's mid thigh.

Nessa says, "That would pair so well with a navy top!"

I see Denise talking to a few girls. Ronnie Nessa and I go into the dressing room and they don't notice us.

One of the girls says, "Was that an earthquake! Oh, sorry didn't realize it was a fat 5th grade Goth!"

Another says, "Yeah like seriously you need to stop eating fast food!"

"Yeah what's with all the black and white makeup!? You think you're so bad goth girl?"

Nessa tries containing her laughter, "Wow she's getting roasted like so much!"

We peak our heads out.

"Those loose black lacy sleeves seriously aren't working for you. And why are you wearing black long sleeves it's like 92 degrees outside!"

Denise with a mean angry tone in her voice claps back, "You don't know me or who I am!" She uses her mind to push them back!

"Girl you're so cray!"

Denise's mom and dad come over and the girls look impressed.

"You're..."

"That 'fat girl's' mother." They walk over to a section with lots of gothic stuff. Her dad is a tall man of average build with medium length dark blonde hair wearing a magenta polo and dark brown dress pants that nicely ground the magenta.

He tells Denise, "I'm sorry those girls were mean to you. I'm like so disappointed in them!"

Denise, with puppy dog eyes, that aren't quite crying but obviously sad says, "I have a headache."

The dad looking concerned, "You're obviously sad, here's a hug you're my little girl I can't stand seeing you sad!"

He hugs her knowing her feelings were hurt.

The mom interrupts, "Oh stop it! She needs to develop into a strong lady! The business world is a tough, cold place. Not that an actor would know that."

"Oh Mia why do you have to roast me like that? It makes me sad when you don't let me help Denise feel better!"

Mia, clearly Denise's mom smugly exclaims, "Hate and pain are powerful motivators."

They leave our hearing range then we walk out of the dressing room and run into the girls then tell them, "I know her she's like so mean!"

Nessa joins in, "Yeah seriously I don't even feel bad for her and she does need to eat less fast food."

We then walk over to the shoes and I'm staring at a pair of high heels.

"Those look so uncomfortable!"

Ronnie and Nessa look at each other nodding agreeing with me.

Nessa then confidently says with a playful grin and flipping her hair back, "I bet I could walk in those."

With my hand on my chin I admire these gorgeous pink pointe shoes and NFinity Vengeance. Legend says they were invented during the beforetimes...but I don't believe in the beforetimes. I wear the shoe and it fits perfectly!

If Evie were with me we'd have so much fun together! Knowing her though she'd like blow our cover watching Denise.

Oh my gosh it's...Sophia! Wow...even tho she's wearing a cloak I still feel so ugly and badly dressed compared to her. Evie also looks up to her it just isn't fair to Evie how she's missing out.

Ronnie whispers to me, "Why is she wearing a cloak?"

Before I could answer Denise yells pointing at her, "I so want that cloak ahhhhhh!"

I tell Ronnie, "Because she's like so beautiful guys would look at her and hurt their girlfriend's feelings without meaning to. Besides she's famous and famous people don't like being bothered all the time."

Ronnie shrugs and replies, "They wouldn't be able to help it they're men after all."

We sneak behind a counter and hear a floor person ask her with a nervous shake in her voice with wide star struck eyes, "Hi...can I help you?"

With a peppy enthusiasm she replies, "Yes I'm looking for your skirt section thank you."

Even her speaking voice sounds amazingly harmonic. Her mere presence and the way she speaks makes people so happy. I'm so jealous of her, but not a hateful jealousy that wants to steal from her or be happy seeing her brought down but an admiring kind. I just can't believe just how pretty she is and I'm...not.

I tell Ronnie and Nessa, "Wow too bad Evie isn't here! I'm like so jealous of that lady I mean oh my gosh I like her but still I wanna be treated like her and make people happy like her so badly!"

Nessa tells me with a light sharpness in her voice, "Hello we're cheerleaders! People love us okay!"

Ronnie replies rolling her eyes, " Ugh, doesn't mean we'll make the cut this year! Besides what about our competitors?"

Nessa's nose does its usual scrunch, "Oh yeah them! Most competing cheerleaders are chill but those Cougars! I get mad just thinking about them!"

Ronnie replies smelling something with a curious tone, "I like the jasmine and mimosa smell where's that coming from? We'll worry about the Cougars when we're back on the all star squad. I mean how do we even dealing with swinging between competitive and school cheer?"

I giggle a bit, "Oh we'll be fine I mean how could we lose I mean last year we were so on point and so far ahead of everyone. The Cougars did have some amazing fliers tho, better than me fer sure but still not better than Evie oh my gosh I'm so not making captain! I've been practicing like so much too! Do you think Sophia was a cheerleader?"

Ronnie tells me in a comforting way, "Don't worry Ying, even if you don't make captain we still know Evie is a great captain and she's your best friend! I really can't say but she's a real baddie."

Ronnie and Nessa are walking as I'm looking at the pretty clothes and Nessa says, "You're coming with us right?"

I look up, "Of course!"

We almost bump into Sophia wow I'm so nervous! Stop making me feel ugly and badly dressed ok lady! Oh what am I saying she's amazing. If only I could be more like her. She kinda reminds me of Evie.

She casually says looking down into our eyes, "Excuse me."

Wow...she spoke to us I'm like so speechless.

"Excuse me." I said with a soft whisper.

Then I go on speaking feeling breathless with my pulse flowing quickly and weightless, "Hi! I've been to some of your concerts and...an...an..."

Ying you're such a fool! Stop stuttering okay! I take a few breaths collecting myself better, "I must say oh my gosh your concerts...they are so fun! I'm Ying! Out of curiosity...what brings you to our city? Is it the beaches because my backyard is a beach!"

I look up to her with my hands folded, I can feel my smile aaaaaahhh! Oh gosh I'm Stanning so hard aren't I?

She says to me, "I have a show here we'll be playing at some free for all where these kids fight in a magical simulation like no one gets hurt or anything but umm... I'm just checking out the city and oh my gosh the king who's putting it on is like so hot and he's not charging entry fees! That's so kind of him! Between you and me I've heard that..."

She gets on one knee and whispers to me Ronnie and Nessa, "Mia is here...yes 'that' Mia. I hear she's the most powerful magic user in the country and she owns the company that controls everyone's water and owns this very mall chain! They're as rich as the royal family! Her daughter is signing up for the big fight."

I excitedly and eagerly squeal back, "Oh my gosh we're signed up for that! Oh we say Mia earlier and my dad is putting on the tournament. How do you dress and sing soooo well! Your sapphire eyeshadow is so perfect with your outfit and matches your eyes so much! How do I stop my concealer from caking when I start on it?" I say looking up in her eyes, Sophia is 5'3" and towers over me. I look up to her admiring her. She is 20 years old like the other Ohmigoshies.

Sophia smiles warmly, "Oh you're so silly! You don't need concealer!"

"But mom wants me to get started on my makeup so I don't overdo it when I'm older!"

She giggles as if I told a funny joke. "Start with the basics first. And remember do it for you not to impress anyone!"

Nessa notices, "You're out here by yourself!"

Sophia smiles and says, "Don't worry about it kid. My squad isn't too far."

"Other Omigoshies?"

"No some helpers the other girls are going to other stores. Besides I'm a strong girl I can kick so hard and know more than just stage magic and basic psionics. Well I need to get going it was nice meeting all of you!"

Ronnie looks at me smiling and says with a loud whisper, "That was so amazing!"

"I know right?"

I don't wanna return home only with stuff for myself but I also don't want them to know I snuck out of the house like some defiant JD. I can't stand being in the house so much!

I go into the men's section and buy my father a medium dark eggplant vest with almost gold trim and aqua flouncy pants I know he already has it but he likes them so much and Strix a...wait what can I get him? He already has all the best cooking utensils. I'll get him a green tea face mask with tea tree oil! But what if he thinks I'm low key insulting his skin? It's not bad, but it's like so refreshing! Mom says I'm too young to need it but oh well. For mom herself Ronnie Nessa and I agree to buy her rose oil, lemon oil, and bergamot mint so we can make DIY magical perfumes.

I grab the oils, face mud mask, and pants and vest for mom dad and Strix.

I go back to the girls skirt section and there are a couple of cute ones in my size I'm so lucky! I need tops to go with these, the pleats a line cut and hemline just above the knee.

Ronnie says, "We so need to get you a matching blazer!"

So we look at jackets and after awhile of feeling and trying on the blazers there's a dark blue blazer my size. I hope I'll get home in time I wish I could shop here longer! I know I know it's off the rack but I'll have it tailored. Can Strix tailor? I'll have to ask him I hope he keeps my shopping trip while suspended a secret!

Nessa whispers, "We should look for a ruffled pirate captain shirt and argyle socks for your outfit!"

Oh my gosh these socks are so perfect please be in my size I'm begging you! I check the size and sigh I'm so happy such cute socks fit me! Don't get ahead of yourself now Ying, you'll still need to try them on. I'll outgrow these so I pick up another pair. They're mid calf length. The top of the socks have a white background and pink diamonds going in a circle. Most of the sock has a toupe background with a big pink diamond on top, an equally big white diamond under it, and another big pink diamond below that. Baby blue lines criss cross through the big diamonds. I already have dark brown leather shoes that go so well with this in my closet. These are like the cutest argyle socks like ever!

Ronnie looks at Nessa with her hand on her chin nodding to her, "Ying's fashion is so amazing!"

"I know right! Girl slays it so hard!"

Ronnie and Nessa of course buy different jeans and tops. I'm small for my age so finding clothes I like that fit me can be hard and I feel so lucky finding something I really like. I like spending time with my friends and shopping to keep my mind off my nightmares. What if I really am hated that much? Could Evie really feel that way about me? I hope it's just my imagination.

We wait in line and Nessa mentions Denise, "Why does Denise hate you again?"

I shrug and tell her, "I have no idea. She's always been like that to me ever since we were 5."

It's our turn so we buy our clothes, go down the street and wow the sunset is amazing! We walk out the door and look to our right watching the ocean. The smell of perfumes fighting for our attention is replaced by the smell of the gentle sea breeze mixing with the pleasant scent of coast sunflowers. We walk to a restaurant and buy chicken fingers, duck sauce, beef teriyaki and rice, and walk home. Wow we're carrying so much! There's nothing like a magical and exciting day with your friends.

Nessa asks me, "Can I help with some of your bags?"

"Of course you can!" Although I'm not really comfortable letting her carry things for me because taking doesn't feel right to me. She's carrying less than me. The sun is going down but it's still kinda light outside, the pinks and purples against some of the clouds is gorgeous against the sunset, the pinks kind of like a watermelon mixed with tangerine in color, also reflecting gorgeously off the calm ocean.

We reach my house with my parents still gone. I hope they're okay but at least I avoided trouble.

Ronnie and Nessa smile and tell me, "We had so much fun with you today thank you!"

Nessa replies, "Oh my gosh I know right! Too bad Evie wasn't with us! She would have had so much fun!"

Ronnie says, "Oh please you know she'd cause trouble! But that's our Evie she's always full of surprizes. We should get going I don't think Ying wants us getting her in trouble."

Strix greets me. "Hey Ying! So how was your day out with Ronnie and Nessa?"

I giddily respond, "Oh my gosh it was so fun! We saw this lady who looked like a man at first and we thought it was funny but she was far away so we kinda ran away so she wouldn't know we were talking about her. Then we went to the pharmacy to get some things. The aloe vera drinks and dark almond chocolate was so delicious!

And I still have more have to be prepared after all you'll never know when those cravings hit and Pip was there and he stole! Said something about alchemy. And these girls were picking on Denise and her dad comforted her but her mom was like, 'nuh uh don't do that she needs to be strong and ruthless or whatever.' Anyway, we saw Sophia from the Ohmigoshies and her style was sooooo on point! If you saw her you'd be so shook from how stylish she was! I brought home take out if you want any?"

Strix has a medium open mouthed smile and eyes widen, "I'd love some thank you for asking! Can I help with your bags?"

He takes the bag of food and we sit down. He takes one chicken finger and lightly dips it into the bowl of duck sauce.

After that Strix said, "You should really hide these bags, don't you worry I'll cover for you k?"

I nod, "Okay."

I rush up to my walk in closet and leave the gifts in my closet.

Ten minutes later I hear horses walking so rush over to the balcony so I can watch my parents pull in with their carriage.

Mom asked him, "So how is our little JD?"

Strix says, "She never left."

Thank you for covering for me! Well he's practically family to me.

Mom then replies, "I knew she'd learn her lesson."

I wipe off my makeup, shower, and try on my new argyle socks! They're so comfy! I lie down and can't wait to get back to school.


	2. Chapter 2: Abby Fights Bullies

My suspension ended our favorite chef Strix greets me with a surprise, "You and I both know how wonderful chocolate is, so I'm packing you extra. Your mom specifically wanted me to pack dark chocolate with almonds. You honestly shouldn't have had all that salty food yesterday but I understand, people have cravings and can't help themselves. She also wanted to pack some Kale and Chia seeds for you. Sorry for your suspension I seriously hope no one steals your food again."

"You don't have to apologize silly you didn't do anything!"

"Oh, Ying, don't forget to finish your green juice okay?"

"You don't have to remind me I kinda like it!" The green juice has spirulina, kale, and delicious lime to hide the icky kale flavor. I watch Strix pour it into a cup from the steam punkish blender, he twisted the cap tight enough where I just know none will spill, it never does.

We then sit with my parents for breakfast, it feels lonely being an only child everyone else at the breakfast table being like way older usually people that old talk to me like I'm a baby and I hate it. Even tho they know it annoys me they still call me kid sometimes.

A guard asked, "Hey Ying, are you gonna finish your oatmeal?"

"Take it!"

I don't care I'm not hungry anyway oh what am I doing lashing out in such a way!? I'm feeling so weird lately, and at formal dinners people will actually be looking at me while I eat. I'm a picky eater so I like to wipe green things like parsley or strong sauces off me foods if I must eat such things. The royal dining table is quite high so my feet dangle so much.

I then sigh and apologize to the guard for my tone.

There's still some time before school starts so I pet the horses. They are such sweet animals, I levitate and her nose nuzzles my shoulder. My dad is lifting weights in the parking lot because, well, he's a manly man who does such masculine things. He drinks a protein shake and ask me if I'm ready for school. I am. I grab my backpack and hop into the carriage.

Dad leans forward and ask me, "So Ying are you looking forward to cheerleading tryouts later?"

I nod and smile, "Of course dad! I'm afraid I won't make captain tho."

He says back, "Well you have been working quite hard, and even if you don't make captain at least you'll still be with your friends. Your bestie Evie will definitely make the squad but don't worry even if you don't make captain will still be with her!"

I snap back, "Can't you just believe in me! Wow like seriously dad! Evie always makes captain!"

His piercing aquamarine eyes look at me with a sadness.

I apologize, "Sigh, sorry dad I've been feeling like way strange lately. I've been preparing with mom and school's advice but wow it's..."

He puts his hand gently on my knee. "I understand...well not 'understand' understand but know it's like way important to you."

I give him a hug as I get out of the carriage. "Take care Ying and good luck at cheerleading tryouts!"

Today is art day and the art teacher is looking at our paintings. Art class is where I learned to build a support and stretch a canvas. Art class gives you the change to show the quality of your personality with painting.

After some time we are done painting. I painted horses sleek and graceful as gymnasts and bright, colorful flowers.

Pip is displaying a picture with the worst possible yellows. I hate most yellows, especially the muddy gross ones. I feel my tongue curling towards the middle, nostrils closing, and a rush of angrily annoyed energy coming over me.

I cross my arms and glare at Pip. "Interesting color choices there. Of all the shades they just happen to be the very ones that gross me out! I know you're trolling me!"

Pip, kinda confused says back to me, "What are you talking about...look I'm sorry for stealing your candy okay!? I thought I was in the fat girl's locker, I'd be doing her a favor I'm like way active so it won't make me fat."

I said rolling my eyes, "You and your lame excuses!"

I'm feeling so cranky and agitated but I can't do anything! It's like my crankiness is gonna leak out and get me in trouble anyway.

Pip replied "I just happen to like these colors why I like them is none of your business okay so can you please leave me alone!?"

The teacher sat up and said, "Okay that's enough, care to show up your art Brad?"

After class Sha Lin approached me, oh my gosh I so feel the blood rushing to my cheeks! Aaaaaahhhh I like him so much!

I'm staring into his gorgeous amber eyes, down to his mouth, and back up to his amazing eyes as he tells me, "Hey Ying! Hey...I was just wondering if I could talk to you about Pip. My little brother can be a bit jerky sometimes but he honestly means well. He thought he was in Denise's locker so he didn't know he was stealing from you so please forgive him okay?"

He then scratched the back of his head shaking a bit while blushing.

"Well Ying, I have to go bye!"

He runs down the hallway. Boys are kinda weird but wow...please come back here!

I think he might have a crush, tho I don't mind he's kinda cute. I really wanted to tell him about Pip stealing from the store on our suspension day. (sigh), oh well, cheerleading tryouts are later and I feel nervous because I'm afraid I won't pass them, especially since I've been feeling such bad pain and kinda ill.

As I walk down the hallway Denise unexpectedly greets me. She has the face of an owl, a big fat tired owl. She crosses her arms, scowling at me.

"Well if it isn't little miss goody two shoes! I have friends who spy on you and we're wondering why are you so obsessed with me?"

I feel my blood pressure rising and like I'm getting a migraine again. Gosh I swear Denise does that to me!

"Why are you so mean to me! If you were nicer to people maybe you wouldn't be such a salty jellyfish! People don't like bullies you know!"

"Listen you little freak, you better stay away from my Sha Lin! After I talk to him he isn't going to like you anymore so ha ha!"

I put my hands on my hips glaring at her, "I really don't think he wants to date a bully! Besides he was so crushing on me earlier!"

Denise snidely remarks, "Oh please I'll convince him my bullying isn't even bullying! And I'm gonna be the cheerleading captain and I'm gonna give it 110% at tryouts okay!?"

Oh she really thinks she's so much better than me! "With that waistline! Please!"

I put my hands on my hips, "Oh by the way I saw you at the store yesterday! Mmm how they roasted you was so delicious!"

Denise smugly replies, "If they keep me off for being too fat I'll get them in trouble for sizeism so ha! I know I look good a cute boy looked at me!"

She strikes a pose thinking she's so wonderful. "You're looking at a real baddie!"

Ha! I say back, "Whatever I'm gonna be captain and win the open free for all that my dad is running I might add and make out with that baddie Sha Lin!"

We angrily have a staring contest before class begins again and Denise walks off with her friends. I so can't wait to try out for cheerleading.

Abby and I sit down next to each other in math. I feel a touch where my back meets my left shoulder and Abby and I yelp like we're quite startled, as if a monster suddenly appeared before us and yelled in our faces.

Everyone's looking at us and I look back. Evie's hand is on our backs oh Evie why do you have to do that?

Evie that's so not funny!

I tell her, "Evie...you know we like you and everything but please don't startle us like that please!"

I mean yeah I know you have fun pranking people Evie but why us?

Evie looks likes she feels bad, "Sorry I startled you, I'm just saying hi!"

Oh gosh the teacher's here! What will drop on us today? Yes he's a walrus person, with brown, almost taupe skin, a long bushy mustache, squinty eyes, and very clean ecru tusks that kinda remind me of eggshells. His dark gray wool fedora...isn't really appropriate in this kind of weather but meh, I'm not judging.

He starts writing on the whiteboard and tells us, "Hey class! Today I'll be teaching you all about the glory of the distributive property and area model division! If you all followed Evie's example you'd all be experts like so much!"

Sigh, more division.

Words are drifting on the pages of my book like winds blowing sand, this headache hurting my concentration.

All I could think was making it through cheerleading tryouts. Will my saltos be on point? How will I manage spiriting and facials with my current mood?

Time passes by and the teacher calls up Evie, "Would you show the class how it's done?"

Evie's face lights up as she grabs the azure blue marker.

"Sure! Hmm, 'Angel is saving for a guitar that cost 728 gold coins and plans to save 56 per month. How many months will he need to buy his guitar?' I so got this..."

Evie draws a rectangle on the whiteboard dividing it into three pieces but it looks so fuzzy! I should really excuse myself but I need to get this done! I hate needing to makeup work."

Evie continues, "If Angel is going to save for 10 months then he'd have 560 coins meaning he'll need 168 more, so we'll subtract 728 by 560 so 728-500 = 228 and 228-60 =208-40=168 so 168 will go inside the second box. After 2 more months Angel will have 112 or a total of 672, and 672 + 56= 728! So over here we have 10, here 2, and here 1, and 10+2+1=13! So 728/56=13! "

I gather the energy to clap for Evie. She's so smart!

dismisses the class and passes out our homework.

Evie and I meet up with Abby in the hall. Everyone talking creates its own garbled noise, everyone speaking to their friends contributing to the greater whole of this sound. We see Abby and I wave to her.

"Hey Abby! How was science?"

"Oh it was good, not my favorite subject tho."

We walk to the lunch pavilion, with a pretty nice view of the palms. Some people would rather eat inside but not us. We bring food that's better than whatever the school offers anyway. Besides, the trees, grass, and flowers are so pretty.

A teacher randomly grabs my wrist and she says, "Oh my gosh are you sure you're eating enough?"

I glare up at her, "Actually I am, ok!"

At least she didn't try randomly lifting me that's like the worst.

Evie Abby and I are having lunch in the courtyard with some girls who are trying out for the cheerleading squad and catch a group of human boys picking on a younger orc boy. "Oooo aaaaa!"

"Unga bunga! Me a blue skin fa..."

Abby takes note and stands up. She whispers to me, "Watch me."

Before he could finish Abby interrupts them by yelling, "That's really mean! I can't believe you'd treat someone like that!"

"What are you going to do about it little girl?"

"You wouldn't like it if a group of kids picked on you would you? How do you think he feels?"

The girl among them says, "Yeah, if we don't stop?"

"You so don't want to find out. I could agree not to beat you up, but you'd just bully him behind my back and I can't stand bullies. I can't let you get away with it and you wouldn't get beat up if you weren't so mean to them! And I'm not little okay!?"

The skinny bully with a conceited smile says, "Everyone knows girls can't fight and boys are stronger!"

Abby is our school's soccer captain, 11 years old like me, but she's taller than me at 4'6". During soccer practice and games she puts her straight medium brown hair into a braided ponytail. Her loose brown shorts go so well with her cornflower blue short sleeved top even tho she's not the most fashionable girl she's still one of our friends.

She said with a glare to the human boy, "What did you say?"

Those boys don't know what they're up against and we feel kinda shakey with fear. Evie and are scared of being near her she may accidentally attack us.

Abby continued, "I'll have you know I beat an 18 year old man at karate practice!"

The fat one responded, "Nuh uh! You're lying and your sleeves are so roomy!"

"Oh yeah at least I'm not a fat idiot!"

The boy gasped. "I can't help it! Like burgers and fries are so good!"

The girl with them crossing her arms meanly tells her, "Why are you being so mean to us, little girl?"

"I don't know, why are you all going after someone in a group? I'm telling the principal on you."

Abby walks over to the principal's table, she's having a salad with a tuna sandwich and wasabi rice crackers. Abby tells her, but she's so far away so I can't hear them. She comes back to us.

The girl of their group says stepping closer to Abby, "Trying to get us in trouble little girl?"

The girl lifts her leg, extends her left foot trying to hit the side of Abby's torso, but Abby elbow blocks, and punches her chin by putting her thumb over her index and middle fingers, using force from her hip as her body turns as she punches. She is off balance so Abby moves to her side kicking her behind her knee before she can reposition herself. She then kicks the tall skinny boy in the thigh then stomach. As the fat boy tries grabbing her arm she quickly retreats it then elbows him just under the middle of his ribs.

Abby's fist turns and thumb resting over her fingers uppercutting the girl and the principal shakes her head, then she waves her hand freezing everyone fighting in place.

I can see Abby starting to glow sky blue yet still struggling to fight the spell but it's too much for her to free herself. "In my office!"

I know the principal, she's only punishing her because she has to not because it's right.

Evie tugs on my pink sleeve and whispers, "uh oh!"

She then walks over to the orc and says, "Hey, you can sit with us!"

He then scratches his head then shrugs.

I tell him, "It's so sad how terribly people get treated like that. I mean why do they feel the need to do that?"

He sighs and tells us, "Actually, it was worse in my homeland. Grohk is the chief and he's like so corrupt! And you have to be a certain way or else everyone hates you. So yeah I'm used to bullying."

Evie has a sad look on her face, she slowly blinks once as she frowns. "I hate that stuff like that happens! Want some of my mei fun?"

"Thank you very much. I usually prefer udon noodles but these are good too."


	3. Chapter 3: Making the Cheer Squad

Lunch ends, we go to our classes, and...cheerleading tryouts at last! My pulse is racing, yet I'm feeling kinda dizzy. I'm excited yet nervous. What if I don't make it this year? I also get tired way more easy lately. Should I even try out considering how I've been feeling? Silly Ying of course! Your squad needs you!

On the path to the gymnasium in the quad I meet up with Ronnie Nessa and new girls trying out for the team they're talking to. With my right foot standing on a big toe behind my heel and I smile shyly, "Hi..."

A small fox girl about Pip's size says, "Is this Ying?! Oh my gosh you're so lucky to have such a nice friend!"

Her rabbit friend looks kinda intimidated, "We just know you'll make the team Ying! You have a reputation for being a pretty amazing flier! "

Please stop you're embarrassing me. I can feel my face warm I don't deserve such praise. If only Denise had as good character judgment.

"Hi...and thanks." I lean forward and move my hand to tell them I want to tell them a secret.

"You wouldn't believe what Ronnie Nessa and I saw at the store the other day! We saw Pip...stealing!"

The fox girl was hopping and squealing quietly, "Omigosh what was he stealing?"

"Chips, tortillas, and soda. So be careful with your stuff near him okay?"

I also tell them, "I so have to tell you this before she gets here but like Denise...she's that chubby girl who wears black lipstick purple eyeshadow and lacy black tops anyway these girls were teasing her!"

The rabbit girl's face says she feels bad, "Oh no! That's terrible!"

I knowingly smile, "You would think that...unless you actually knew her. She's like so mean and I can't stand her! I know she bullies me because she's jealous!"

Ronnie and Nessa agreeingly nod.

I continue, "I think she's mean because her mom wants her to be mean like her I heard her say she needs to become strong and that the world is a tough place! Her dad was hugging her trying to make her feel better but her mom interrupted."

The rabbit girl's face lit up, "I know her! She thinks my parents are so dumb for like being friends with your parents."

I tilt my head, "Huh?"

"I think it's because she said your parents keep her parents from doing what they want. My parents are friends with both of yours and Denise's."

I shrug, "Why haven't we met?"

"Their visits sounded so...adult it kinda sounded boring. I know I know visiting the palace and whatever should be like way exciting but I just wanted to chill with friends." Her and the fox friend look at each other.

I say, "Wait...didn't you tell your friend about her?"

The fox shrugs and says, "Nah."

I ask, "So if you know Denise's parents you must know something about her I don't?"

The fox replies back, "Not much, she's like so obsessed with reading about Seris and sometimes Androxus. Did you when I was at her house her and her mom were working on a spell they found in some scroll? They didn't actually do the spell tho the mom is writing an easier version so Denise can work up to the actual spell."

I feel my eyes widen as I exclaim, "That sounds like bad news!"

Nessa rolls her eyes while saying, "Oh my gosh seriously Denise's mom sounds so conceited?! Like how does she even know those scrolls are from Seris? Why are they stanning so hard over some fairy tale sorceress who was probably never even real?"

I shrug and smile, "I don't know but you know them. Say isn't it weird how small species students get chairs that fit them but us short elves and humans are too big for them but too small for normal human chairs?"

Ronnie and the fox girl giggle and the fox says, "That's just one of those things at least you aren't a midget."

At least I'm not a midget, just small for my age.

I ask the fox girl what encourages her to be a cheerleader.

"Because gymnastics isn't available I mean like seriously!? Tumbling for cheer is like way different than gymnastics I'm getting used to cleaning and it feels kinda different tumbling in shoes!"

I spray some dry shampoo in my hair to keep it from going too crazy.

I tell them, "We should be going inside now."

My facials are kinda weak and could spirit better. I know I'm a veteran and on the team last year but I still don't feel like a real cheerleader even tho I know the coaches and keep making the team. I just know Evie will help me again but honestly, we should help the new girls.

It's almost time for tryouts so we go inside the gymnasium. I notice some of the other girls looking anxious and intimidated and one of them says, "Yikes she's making the team fer sure, dur!"

"I know right! She was captain last year! Oh she just got here! Look at her show off that tumbling! And her bow..."

It's my bestie Evie! She's a peppy girl with gorgeous eyes like azure jewels, thick cerulean blue wavy pigtails, cheer shoes with blue sparkles when we sparkled our shoes together, and slides into the gymnasium on her knees merrily yelling, "Evie is here! Say hello to your squad captain!"

That's our Evie, so sure she'll make squad captain...again.

Like Ronnie Nessa Denise and I and others she's wearing last year's bow and backpack to show she was on the squad last year so the new girls know to respect us veterans. I tell Evie that her hair looks great because real talk here that hair is so amazing!

A new girl looks like she's having trouble.

I ask with concern, "Is there anything wrong?"

"Yeah our water bottles are frozen!"

I go into the locker room and...mine is too!

Evie comes in leaning against the doorframe giggling, "You've been pranked!"

I shake my head smiling, looking to her, "Ha ha you sure got us good!"

We go back into the main part of the gymnasium and prepare.

Denise smirked evilly as she approached Evie, "I know you, everyone is so happy whenever you walk into a room and you're like 'Hey I'm Evie!' or 'Omigosh I'm so amazing!' well I can see right through you little..." she is slowly walking towards Evie as Evie backs away.

Evie replies, "What did I ever do to you?! Just because I like making people laugh and making them feel better? Is this about your water bottle because honestly you kinda des..."

Denise angrily interrupts her, "Oh it just comes so naturally to you doesn't it? People like you, laugh at your jokes, and be with you to prank people! I saw you and your friends TPing my house! Guess who had to clean up your mess?"

Before she shoves her the other girls barely manage to hold her back. Ronnie and Nessa's rabbit friend looks at Denise and says, "Wow you're like so upset you should really chill Denise!"

Nessa raises her voice to defend Evie, "Yeah like seriously Evie is our friend and you're making a butt out of yourself in front of everyone!"

Denise says with a mean tone throwing up her hands, "I don't care!"

Oh fer sure she walked into my reply, "You mean making people mad just to laugh at them? Puh leez Evie makes others laugh while you make them cry just so you can feel better than them!"

Denise meanly claps back, "Oh yeah Ying I remember how much of a nervous wreck you were last year! If Evie didn't help you then you fer sure wouldn't have made the team! Your facials are also way unconvincing! Like seriously how can you even attack the crowd you have like no charisma! You even wore a dumb face veil last year!"

"I had braces okay and like hiding my weird mouth okay!?"

Oh crap...I just told Denise one of my fears!

Yay the coach is here! Thank goodness her arrival rescued me! "Hey girls so what was all that noise back here?"

"Oh nothing" I said nervously "Just getting warmed up."

Before she can give her speech about safety and not feeling too bad if you don't make the cut Denise asks, "I know I'm not exactly the smallest girl here, in fact I'm obviously the largest, but can I still try out for a flyer position? My friends Ying and Evie here want to be my bases."

The coach says back with a I'm so proud of you tone, "That's lovely of you Ying and Evie, bases are so underrated! Especially you Evie since you love being center flyer so much!"

Then the coach went on, "When you put up a stunt don't just try getting it over with so really focus on what you're doing okay? If the flyer falls she won't feel as confident so please focus on keeping your flyer up!"

Evie and I cross our arms and pout shaking our heads. I feel a stale and acidic feeling going through through me with some eye pressure, and Evie looks just as hate filled and frustrated as me.

Evie whispers into my ear, "Hehe if she wants to fly oh she'll fly! I might not have a third digit on my weight but I'm still pretty strong hehehehe."

"I'm not tho but am strong magically for my age."

"Omigosh me too!"

The coach blew her whistle, "We have some veterans like Evie, Ying, Ronnie, Nessa, and Denise! They made the squad last year and the year before that! Many of you girls are new and don't have cool gear from last year to show off! There's a risk of injury with this sport blah blah okay stretching time!"

I watch the fox and rabbit girls from earlier tumbling, but the rabbit's front tuck and fox's flips need some serious work. Okay, if your entrance skills are off it's going to hurt your momentum.

I approach the rabbit, "I see you're trying aerials. You're really having trouble with something so basic!? Here, let me show you."

I keep completely turning over in the air without using my hands, like cartwheels without touching the ground. I wonder if that many turns are illegal?

"Now you try, you just need to believe in yourself and know where you are compared to the ground. Did you stretch?"

"Yeah...well here it goes."

Denise is holding two other newbies for a double cupie. I'm not even sensing magic from her either that's pure strength on her part. She sure thinks she's something for showing off like that, seriously!

I look back at the group I'm helping. A couple of girls flopped like, so hard thinking they could tumble.

The rabbit stuck a front handspring into a back tuck as a warmup. She's now doing a roundoff back tuck and then a punch front, slapping her thighs as she lands. She could use more spin otherwise she's like so good. She's actually kinda good and might push out some of last year's vets. Well not me of course...at least I hope not.

"Not bad, now try a double full. Here, I'll show you."

I do two front handsprings then I spring off the mat with my feet, feeling my body spin twice on the way back to landing on my feet.

The rabbit girl looks impressed, "Wow! Can I do that?!"

I smile, feeling kinda proud of myself, "Now you try. I'll make sure you don't get hurt."

She's showing a talent for tumbling!

We walk to her fox friend, I tell her, "I mean no offense when I say this, but your flip flops are so sloppy. Here, I'll show you."

I jump backward onto my hands then push up springing to my feet. Even tho I'm taller and heavier than the fox girl I don't struggle as much going down, my elbows pointing straight instead of kinda outward like the fox, then I push myself and land on my feet.

"See? You shouldn't keep your elbows so far out. Yeah I get at first your shoulders feel it more and it isn't as smooth but once you practice it and keep stretching and working out you'll get a smooth seamless motion just like me!"

Her face lights up, eyes wide and mouth open as if it's some great honor that I acknowledged her.

"Thanks! You know Evie right? What conditioning exercises would she recommend?"

I feel a light fluttering in my stomach and lighter. I really enjoy helping people.

"You know we can ask her she's like right over there." That made her and her friend so happy.

"Really!? You'd introduce us!? I so hope she won't be annoyed with us!"

I tell them, "Oh it's no big deal!" Evie is stretching a leg, we wait since you need to get both sides even.

"Evie...hi, these new girls want some help from you. I helped them a little but they want your take on things."

Evie's smile got bigger and looks happy, "You think I can help you!? Thanks I so can, for workouts I kinda recommend frog jumps. You hop back and forth to strengthen your thighs and hips, hand standing push ups, reverse planks, and for stretching downward dog, cobra, and of course jogging."

The rabbit looked down to her fox friend quite excitedly, "Oh my gosh she spoke to us!"

Evie and I walk over to a struggling group, orc and human bases trying to hold up a dragon girl.

Evie knowingly and confidently smirks and slightly giggles, "Are you seriously having trouble with a basic liberty?"

Her voice warmed, "Here...don't let her rock back, put your index finger on her heel and please don't hunch your back it is so bad for it! Sit back further and pull your chest up and keep your back straight. Five...six...seven...and legs! You're so talented!"

I then tell them I have DIY ice packs if they need any. Evie and I made those together.

After they basked tossed the dragon and she did a herkie they whispered to each other, "My gosh she acknowledged us!"

The coach whistles and tells us, "Okay girls tryouts are officially starting right now!"

Sigh, so much emphasis is put on tumbling and the spirit entrance. It used to feel weird not cheering in front of anyone but other try outers. One of the girls tried a tumbling routine and her face hit the mat. Poor girl.

Oh, and that one tried jumping as she moved sidewise gosh girls please remember your pathing! Spirit, pause, and then jump!

Evie takes a step closer to me and says in a very quiet whisper, "Those girls...is 'woooo!' the only way they know how to spirit? Like seriously use actual words!"

I whisper back, "I know right! At least we tried helping them."

Evie and I spirited and tumbled quite smoothly. "Heyyo let's go!" Evie yells with boisterous enthusiasm.

Then we follow up with, "Don't stop slaying! Come on move that ball! No matter how hot the ball gets stay...and...slay!"

Our focus is mostly on cheer's competitive side but it doesn't mean we'll forget about facials and spiriting and cheering on our school too!

After a few more drills and testing us on what we knew it was finally time, we were going to be bases for our "friend" Denise. Oh my gosh she's like so fat and she obv knows it because she wants to annoy us!

The coach says in her usual proud and peppy tone, "I know Denise wasn't a flyer last year but her and her friends agreed to give her a chance!"

Denise looks at us with a mean smile, the malice of her eyes piercing through her glasses, "It's time girls!"

The struggle wasn't nearly as hard as we thought, tho our shoulders knees quads and triceps are as sore as you'd expect from picking up a heavy girl. Evie is magically gifted, more so than me, and Denise does a scorpion so beautifully well for a fat girl. How does she do it? That technique...wow I'm legit scared now. Evie tosses her far with a combination of her mind and physically so the spotters can't catch her. She does some flips but falls on her butt. Serves her meany dumb face right.

Evie, Ronnie, Nessa, and I all laugh at her and her face is like so literally red and the coach looks at Evie with disapproving eyes shaking her head, "We don't do that sweetie."

She said to her, "But coach she's a big girl so I thought I'd need that much thought to throw her and believed in her enough to land I don't wanna be in trouble I want to shop for cute clothes!"

"Okay, I can see why you did that, but this is a warning so you better behave okay!? You girls may have talent but I know what kind of trouble you girls can get into!"

"Yes Miss Coachies!"

The coach tells Evie with some affection yet annoyance in her voice, "Evie...you know that's not my name! How long have we known each other?"

Evie just shyly smiles and coyly replies to her, "Sorry coach!"

Practice is over and I approach Abby seeing her walking home, "I saw how you defended that boy from those mean bullies. That was so nice and brave of you!"

"Yeah, I just had to, I just can't stand mean idiots!"

She shrugs with a smile. "They're friends of Denise, wait isn't she on your squad?"

I sigh and look down to my pretty cheer shoes, what used to be all white NFinity Vengeances Evie and I glittered together, "I'm afraid so."

Gosh I hope I don't ruin my shoes you aren't really supposed to walk on the street with them. I just couldn't leave Abby waiting though.

I look back up to Abby with an aggravated tone, "She's always so mean to me! She insults me and tells everyone I kiss all the boys and worse! Are you okay Abby?"

"Of course! I'm only suspended for 3 days but those boys are gone for the whole week. The principal said I'm only suspended because she had to or whatever. I don't get it if she makes the rules can't she just let me get away with beating those boys up I mean they did have it coming."

"I don't get it either Abby. Some people are like that they follow some rule only because they have to even tho following it is wrong."

"I know right that's like way weird!" It was a few days ago since I was suspended like a JD.

Now it's Abby's turn. We walk through town and see many people as school ended. "What about cheerleading practice?"

"Oh I helped so much!"

"Not really I mean it can but...ehh it depends. Strix's cooking is like so good you have to visit! He makes amazing hamburgers anyway you want and the special sauce for the fries oh my gosh you have to try them!"

"That does sound good, maybe I'll stop by."

I ask "Won't your parents ground you?"

Abby replied confidently, "No Ying, dad understands it's only because of rules and I didn't really do anything wrong."

Abby replied confidently. We have lots of time until then so we walk together.

A lady says, "Where are your parents!"

Abby tells her, "None of your business!"

We walk past dark wooden houses with a nice beachy aesthetic. The poor live in many of these wood buildings and I kinda feel bad for the people here. Imagine if your neighbors were pirates? Like why do people even become pirates? I have a bad feeling about this and I look to Abby, but she wants to keep going.

She tells me, "That guy with the tiger boy looks kinda familiar!"

I see a weird group of people walking into a hotel, a tall buff guy with a black hat and burgundy red long navy coat with yellow shoulder thingies with the tassels and scraggly beard. There's also a tall thin man with a cowboy hat, beige trench coat and lots of stubble and a goatee and there's a tiger kid with them.

The man with the red beard says, "Arrrggghh matey you're gonna win the tournament fer sure!"

"And if I don't? We don't know who else will be there."

Abby nods her head with a confident smile that says yeah like me.

"You will arrrgggg! You're going against landlubbers I reckon arrrgggg!"

"Dad can you please chill with the pirate talk it's like way cringe."

"Ye kids don't understand!"

He shakes his pirate sword in a lecturey way at him.

"Yeah...we never do." He shrugs.

"What ye lasses be staring at begone with ya arrrrggg!"

Abby casually walks towards them, and I grab her wrist and whisper in her ear, "Let's go!"

We run a few blocks away and Abby goes into her house. Good thing I don't live too far from her and good thing those weird guys aren't actually chasing us.

I get home, I pet the horses, and sit in the dining room waiting for my white tea and dinner. There were enough people walking where it felt safe.

I watch the red pink and orange sunset while I dreamily stare out into the ocean on my back balcony. The palms clatter under pink and purple clouds.


	4. Chapter 4: Ying Gets Cursed

"I hope I made the squad again! Many of those girls were so talented! I hope we can all be close friends."

"Then there's the trade meeting and a week after that the 10-12 year old FFA tournament."

Like so many people I know will compete there. It's basically this big magic room where we can't die in real life, and we must use our physical and magical abilities from real life to win it.

Abby Pip and Sha Lin will be there, gosh I still kinda hate Pip but wow is Sha Lin cute! I'm happy Abby Evie Ronnie and Nessa are joining me! I want Sha Lin to join with me but he'll probably team with us if he sees us first but then if Pip finds us we'll have to team with...ugh I don't wanna think about working with Pip! Sha Lin would also be mad at me if I eliminated him.

I always found it silly how people feel like they're better than others just for being different, and even in our city there are people may think that way.

I wake up and complete my morning ritual. I shower, dry, dress, find my SiliSponge, then use my diamond blender to apply my sheer tan opal foundation, and I also apply orchard eyeshadow.

I don't want to lose Sha Lin to that fat meanie Denise. I'm up kinda late so I sit down to enjoy a delicious fruit punch, whose red reminds me of the clothes Sha Lin usually wears, and I eat my buckwheat waffles.

I leave for school and overhear Pip conversing with a clerk. "What do you mean I'm too young to work here you do realize it says age discrimination is illegal right?"

"Look, kid, the fact is it's illegal to hire you because of child labor laws. Besides that you always steal from here!"

"How do you know that!"

"Because every time you're here something ends up missing. Look, kid I know you're poor and starving so how about I give you a candy for free?"

"I don't need your charity but I'll take your freaking chocolate!"

Pip then thanks him and mumbles under his breath, "Says age discrimination is illegal but also illegal to hire me jeez law make up your mind already!"

I just don't like that thief, but he is Sha Lin's little brother. While crossing the street I look to my left and see the beach. I arrive at school where the other girls crammed near the cheerleading tryout results.

One random girl says, "Seriously I didn't get in?"

She rolls her eyes and crosses her arms rolling her head, "Whatever!"

Then her friend comforts her, "We'll make the squad next time don't you worry!"

I then look and see my name! *Sigh* Evie is captain as usual, well I'm just happy that she's happy and I'm kinda used to her being captain anyway. Evie may be the captain but she is like such an amazing flyer after all and I'm also a flyer, but oh my gosh Evie can attack the crowd like so well when we're doing sideline cheer and her technique is way on point!

"Hey bestie!"

She startled me! "Hey Evie! Congratulations on making captain! I just knew you would!"

"Thanks Ying! Oh my gosh your jacket is so on point!"

I slightly giggle, knowing "Thanks! Yours is pretty good too."

Evie chuckles a little, "Thanks! We really do have amazing taste! Want some dark chocolate with almonds?"

"Would I? Thank you oh Evie you're the best!"

I eat my chocolate, the headaches not as bad today but still kinda there.

I go to class proud of myself for making the team, normal school stuff happens and just before gym Denise approaches me in the quad on the way to gym.

I tell her, "What do you want?"

She looks like she planned something nasty. "If you have a problem you can take it up with the coach okay!?"

"Nice makeup Ying, too bad it's getting replaced with pimples! You humiliated me yesterday 'princess' so I have a little..."

She looks down and reaches into her bag and throws a powder into my face so fast I couldn't even react.

"Cadabra pizza face!"

She runs away cackling evilly, then stops at the door and yells to our team. "Hey squad did you check out Ying's face!? I'm literally dead oh my gosh!"

This can't be good. I go into my bag and get my compact mirror...I just want to die so badly. I sit down on the floor crying. My head is resting on my knees covered by my arms.

I hear a concerned sincerity in Nessa's voice asking, "What's the matter Ying?"

"Ooooohhh" after I show her my face, a pizza face with streams of hot tears running down it, "Denise cursed me with acne!"

I felt like the earth opened up and swallowed me whole, I just feel so humiliated. I want to get even with her and I know just the person to help me.

Evie leads with calisthenics and stretches. Afterward my bases lift me while I stay tight then perform a waterfall, but I'm not quite on Evie's level. She even has Denise as her main base, and it is so hard trusting her. Evie's transitional stunts are incredible.

I gracefully get tossed into the air after an arabesque and feel the very hot air flowing through my hair and Ronnie catches me she whispers, "Don't worry Denise will tire herself out and I know a spell that will clear your acne."

"Thanks, but proving I was cursed with pizza face is kind of important."

Evie gestures for Ronnie Nessa and I to huddle. Evie says, "Listen up girls! The FFA tournament is next Saturday so we should practice stunts that'll help us win! We fight as one!"

The rabbit girl approaches us, "What are you guys talking about?"

I tell her, "We're talking about what stunts we feel would be good during the tournament. Will you and your fox friend join us? 96 people are signed up for it so far, there's no limit for how many people will fight the ages are 10-12."

She looks away and tells us with a slight stutter, "Umm, as fun as that sounds we really aren't the fighting type but thank you for your offer."

I smile and say, "Thanks anyway. Say, has Denise been mean to you two?"

The fox says, "No, come to think of it she seems pretty focused on her tumbling and base technique."

Evie nudges my sleeve gesturing towards Ronnie and Nessa and we huddle, "Ronnie and Nessa, if you meet with me or Ying lift us, one of us would do a superman, or we may do a scorpion. Pitch us okay we are gifted with telekinesis so we'll launch ourselves using your momentum k?"

Ronnie and Nessa nod.

After practicing stunts between just the four of us we take a water break.

The coach claps and says, "Okay girls that's it for today. Remember no base can be a base without a flyer and a flyer can't fly without her bases..."

Evie then whispers under her breath while crossing her arms and coyly smirking, "Try me."

Meanwhile the coach continues, "you girls are all (emphasizing all when looking at Denise) beautiful and talented (Evie starts making faces and mimicking her) and as long as we work hard as a team we'll take nationals!

Some countries just have Goblins while others just orcs lizards or fox people, but we are a diverse team we aren't just humans or just elves, and don't forget your homework girls! (She sternly looks at Evie) And don't forget who made you captain, Evie!"

Evie is clearly lightly surprised, "Of course miss coach lady sir..."

"But sir isn't an appropriate way to (she rolls her eyes) ugh...nevermind your heart was in the right place."

When I get home after eating leftover mei fun with soy sauce and tuna I go upstairs and I hear dad in the second floor study talking to a guest. It's a cosy little room with two tall plushy dark wood chairs and a small round table. The smell of kelp, salt, and jasmine breezing through the big window next to the bookcase gently moves through the hall. Dad and the dragon guest are eating handmade tortilla chips with salsa and melted cheese and are having burritos with them.

I cry to my dad over Denise cursing me with acne. I could tell I was getting it anyway but still, I so hate her for what she did to my face! He is talking with an amber scaled dragon guy with a shiny gold chestplate and curly horns.

The dragon guy says, "Here's a picture of Drogoz, he's a very dangerous bounty hunter and I mean no offense to your fine police force but he uses weird technology centuries ahead of our time and don't think they can do much to help even with their advanced magics. No one knows where he got it but rumor has it that you're on his hit list. He's wanted in our country and is perhaps the most dangerous muggle in the world..."

I interrupt him with my dire problem. I lightly tug on dad's vest, "DAD!"

He looks over to me, "Yes my daught...oh my gosh your face! Your mom you to except some bad acne but wow! Anything I can do to help you?"

"My bully Denise she cursed me with acne it's like she bullies me so much I hate it!"

"Will you excuse us, yes you have a deal our nations will trade some of our avocados for your ginger ale and we'll be on the lookout for this 'Drogoz' you speak of."

"Thank you sir it was a pleasure doing business with you." My dad and the fire orange lizard guy with a garnet red chestplate and long tale shake hands and the lizard walks out of the room.

My father turns to me then squats down carefully. "That fat JD thot has gone too far! Why would she do this to you? Remember this, if anyone teases you it's not your fault, and getting acne is perfectly normal. No matter what anyone says you aren't ugly!"

"Oh you're just saying that because I'm your daughter!" He gives me a hug and I can smell sriracha and sandalwood, clearly he ate tacos and is wearing one of his colognes.

Then he stands up, with a passion booming from his voice, "I will arrange a magic duel against her in your school's auditorium! It will be 3 days from now to give the city enough notice!"

He passionately walks into another room getting his workers to make flyers announcing such a contest.

I go down stairs and interrupt, "But dad Denise hasn't agreed yet! I so hope she does so I can watch you humiliate her!"

"Where are my manners!? Of course I'll check with her first! I think I know who her parents are, 'they' own malls and control the water supply and hire pirates but real talk here it's just the mom who really does anything.

Her dad is just a chill supermodel who started acting. He started off waiting tables before getting into the industry..."

I'm feeling so restless and can't really concentrate enough to listen to this story. I interrupt him, "Dad I don't care about Denise's dad's work history okay!?"

He then shrugs and has this you don't know what you're missing face. "Okay Ying, sorry about Denise bullying you, I swear you shall be avenged!"

Thank you father, I'm so happy you care enough to humiliate that no good rotten Denise for me!

Mother glances to the side, turns around and walks in. "Ying darling you shouldn't be afraid to be more assertive! Strix has told me your studying has been going along quite well."

"Thanks, it has."

"I may seem tough on you at times but it's only because I care."

The next day at school I see Denise. She's wearing alabaster white foundation with black lipstick that has a slightly purple undertone and dark violet eyeshadow. I overhear Denise speaking with her friends. "So you really agreed to the duel with king Julian?"

She shrugs then slyly smirks, "I know I'm not going to win, but I can like learn so much from him! Besides I need some practice for the competition!"

"So let me get this straight you know you're like way outclassed? You're risking getting humiliated in front of the whole school, and just for a little practice?"

"He's like famous for being good at magic and stuff!"

I feel my eyes gleaming with the fact I know her secret.

"So that Seris spell you were working on was to give people acne?"

Denise puts her hands on her hips and yells, "Ha! You have no idea! If you must know we're getting closer on actually finishing it! Mom says she should rule because she sells so much water and has so many stores! Without her company there'd like be no way of getting that water over the hills!"

I feel myself getting warmer and lightly shaking, "Oh yeah you're lucky we don't run it ourselves! People have to pay for all that water like seriously you act like everyone owes your mom but guess what they pay for it!"

We storm off in opposite directions and get ready for gym.

I shake my tennis shoes in case there are any scorpions hiding in them then change into them for gym and before class really starts Denise makes fun of Evie, "You're only captain of the cheerleading squad because the coach feels bad for you."

"Ha! Ya ok girlfriend!"

"Like seriously you're so full of yourself and your tennis shoes are tacky they don't go with your outfit!"

"Why do you care I like whimsy okay!?" Although I'm kinda nervous I stop their fight.

"It's so easy to match when all you wear is black!"

Evie looks up smirking, her thumb on her chin and her index finger on her cheek, "Come to think of it you can easily have badly matching shades of black too!"

"Denise, why do you hate Evie and me so much?"

"You really wanna know you annoying runt I'll tell you, my mom always compares me to other girls pointing saying oh look at them why can't you be more like them am I not good enough?! Look, I just don't like you okay!?"

She crosses her arms, walking slowly towards me, "I bet You're only so 'nice' Ying to make them like you so you can use them I just know it! And you Evie...always so peppy and full of herself thinking she's something like seriously I know you're happy because you think you're so much cooler than everyone!"

Evie gasped leaning back a little, gets control over herself again, puts her hands on her hips, "That's not true and you know it! At least my happiness doesn't come from making people feel bad, but I don't expect a bully like you understand!"

"I'll be watching you two!" She says as she walks backward putting two fingers in a V up to her eyes and pointing those fingers at us.

Evie Abby and I win our gym volleyball match after running laps around the gymnasium. Gym class ends, I switch out of my athletic shorts and tennis shoes and wear my coordinated teal and aquamarine flats and comfortable flouncy pants with my puffed sleeve crewneck matching top.

We leave the gymnasium and go back into the main building, go to class, and I look at Denise with a mean smile with eyes knowing of her impending embarrassment at my father's hands.

I see Denise with her friends talking about the magic duel later. "Are you sure you're up to this he's like such a legend!"

"I know what I'm doing, without a better magician than me to push against how will I get better?"

I look down with a defeated sigh thinking to myself, "If only I trained with my father, but I'm more interested in helping people not hurting them, and his magic specializes in using wind moving people."

It is now 5 in the afternoon and crowds are beginning to gather near the auditorium.

"You are so going to crush her!" I say to my father.

He slyly smiles and tells me, "You will be satisfied with your justice"

A grownup lady with long skinny fingers approaches me, "So you're one of the little brats who picks on my daughter?"

Her leaning 5'6" frame towering over me. I nervously lean back a bit, "Ummmm, Mrs Denise's mom you don't understand she bullies me and..."

"You deserve it little girl!"

I sigh and facepalm. Why does she think this way?

My dad comes over and asks, "Is there a problem?"

"As a matter of fact there is, tell your daughter to stop bullying my girl! This is a setup just to humiliate her I just know it!"

Ha! Like she has any right to complain about bullying when she always rubs how she owns the river and controls all the water in our faces.

My father and I turn our heads to each other smugly smirking to each other, as if saying to one another, "Well she isn't wrong!"

Even tho he's like 6'1" and 175 pounds he doesn't seem to scare Denise's mom. There are rumors of her trading forbidden scrolls written by Seris centuries ago with pirates. I just hope rumors about her magical strength aren't true. At least Seris as far as I know discovered all those spells herself and had the magical strength and talent to get away with using it. I still remember how weird that Seris dream was. Like dreams can be weird anyway but this is a different kind of weird, like she was actually with me.

Denise herself looks at me with a mean look on her face, like "I'm gonna get you."

I walk over to Strix and help him set up his taco stand and Nessa and Ronnie walk with me.

"Hi Ying!" the twins almost say at the same time. "We're here to check out the taco stand. Ying tells us your cooking is so good!"

Strix scratches the back of his head and kinda blushes, " Aww! Why thank you young ladies but I really don't think I'm all that great. Anyway, here are are my sauces, burritos, cheeses, toppings, meats, taco shells, and different ice creams for visitors!"

Nessa and Ronnie look at each other, like they both know they want to compete with each other. Ronnie smiles, her brown eyes saying trust me, and Nessa is at the other end of the stand making her tacos.

Strix bites into a taco, "Hmmm, the avocado and monterey jack flavors meld so well with the beef! I like what you've done with the spices the garlic paprika and whatever combination is like so lit!"

He then takes a bite out of the other one. "Oh my gosh picking a winner is like sooo harrrrd! This one has just the right amount of garlic sauce and the way both you guys made the seasoning is so on point! Ronnie, no hard feelings and you did make like a waaaaay delicious taco, but I'm going to go with team Sriracha on this one." Nessa raises her fists with her arms in a V smiling pretty wide her eyes squint and she claps.

Nessa shakes Strix's hand and then Ronnie smiles thanking him. "Thanks for letting us cook Strix!"

"Oh the pleasure's mine ladies, you are friends of the princess after all."

"I am sure to make some extra money here. I need a new set of ceramic knives! Ying would you be a dear and get me the Sriracha and avocado sauce?"

"Here you go."

"Thanks."

"No problem."

Evie busts through the front doors with a boisterously friendly yell, "Hey girlfriend! Your dad is so gonna crush that bully!"

And I respond, "Oh please you have no idea! Daddy is a legend he was even crafty enough to escape Androxus!"

Evie gasp with surprise, "No way!"

"Yes way!" Even tho I personally think he made up that story to impress me. There's no way Androxus could be real.

"Oh my gosh girlfriend you're going places magically if you have his and my magical talent!"

I shyly smile, "Aww why thank you Evie."

"No I mean it."

Strix interrupts from his taco stand, "Excuse me ladies but if you wouldn't mind I have some delicious burritos and tacos for sale! Come get your tacos made by the royal chef himself!"

Evie enthusiastically tumbles towards the taco doing a front handspring into a double full perfectly facing Strix while smiling then blinks twice. "Hello! I'll have a taco with beef, Monterey Jack and cheddar cheese, and topped with sriracha sauce please!"

"You got it miss! That was so impressive! I can see why you were voted best cheerleader at your last showcase!"

Evie says back, "Oh, that was just a tumbling routine. I only sometimes flex to tumbler but I'm usually a flyer."

I walk up to introduce Strix to my friend Evie, "Hi this is Evie I've told you about her before."

"You're Evie! Cheerleading captain, center flyer, and the best flyer in the entire country!? Aren't you worried about heartburn with this food?"

"Nah the effects won't last that long besides I'm extra when it comes to drinking water. Oh I'll have a soda and prickly pear ice cream too thank you."

Strix rolls his eyes and sighs, "You are the customer, but understand this...Evie, somewhere out there could be a flyer who doesn't eat sugary things, like at all, and if they ever beat you just remember that."

"Oh Strix you're so silly! Someone beating me I'm so dead!"

As she giggles Evie tells me, "So Ying last night there I was at 's yard with toilet paper and guess what?! I TP'd her tree and house! Oh my gosh it was like so fun Nessa and Ronnie frigging died!"

I reply, "Wow sounds like fun! Too bad I couldn't make it tho."

Evie with an eagerness in her voice tells me, "I know you'd like it so I invited you but yeah wow was it fun! Anyway Ying let's sit down Nessa and Ronnie are waiting for us, the cheerleading captain and her sweet sidekick can't leave them waiting!"

I jockey to find a crowd gap after finding one I peek through a couple of people, tipping on my toes seeing between a couple of people's arms. No one is on stage yet.

We sit in the front row because how are you supposed to see anything otherwise at our heights especially mine?

The announcer, a tall wolf man is introducing the contestants, "Our majesty the king has set up this great show to entertain you guys and defend his daughter's honor! The first contestant is a main base on the cheerleading squad and is the smart and talented magically gifted Denise!"

The crowd boos except for Denise's parents, siblings, and friends. Denise waves, smiles, and blows kisses to the audience, "I love you guys too! I dedicate my victory to all of you!"

The announcer says, "Already claiming victory against someone with the King's experience my what amazing arrogance!"

The lights dim. "The moment you've all been waiting for, his magic has won us many countless battle please give some applause to King Julian!"

The audience cheers wildly after a spotlight is cast onto my father the king, whose arms are crossed confidently smiling at the audience.

"You can do it!"

"We believe in you!"

After the applause calms down the announcer says, "Remember the rules, no killing and no injuring your opponent. Let the fun begin!"

My father looks quite confident, he has a sparkling glimmer in his eyes and a proud smile, is standing wide, his hands flowing like water. I have seen him do this before. Denise walks up to him with a raised chin, gleaming eyes, and a grin that says she thinks she's so much better. Both seem so sure of themselves but I'm like so sure my dad will win this.

"You're trying to intimidate me aren't you?"

She quickly raises her hands above her head approaching him. She lifts him with her mind moving him like he's a dizzy flying bird.

"Are you having fun?" She slams him down butt first onto the hard auditorium floor.

"Can't you fight back?"

"You seem so sure of yourself Denise, but I don't think you're going to win."

Denise grins evilly, "Ha you say as you struggle to fight back!"

I am convinced that something is wrong. This isn't my father, I am pretty sensitive to magic and my dad can easily outclass Denise. Is she using an illegal charm? I cover my face slinking back into my chair, so much that my feet almost touch the floor.

"Oh you are so done!"

Denise spins dad in the air.

"I'll give you a chance to fight back, your display is like so pitiful for your reputation! Here's a magic barrier now try going through it."

I see my father struggle to break it with his focused wind blasts.

"Impressive barrier, even these quite fast and concentrated blasts can't break through!"

Something's going to happen, I just know it. Denise does an arabesque while spinning with her eyes closed smugly smiling. You can tell she thinks she's like so graceful.

She slowly lifts her outstretched arms over her head then points her clasped hands towards my dad pushing a bit of psychic energy at him. He is lifted into the air and she makes figure eights with him.

With a proud malice in her voice Denise says, "Mmmm your tears are delicious!"

While she can't see the audience she knows I'm out here somewhere in the front row.

"How do you like your daddy now princess? The very guy who made you into an annoying brat is losing to me at his own game! Yes!"

She does her crazy laugh. My dad falls on his butt, he brushes himself off with a sly smile, then suddenly a small mint green tornado lifts Denise.

"You were so sure of yourself weren't you, little girl? You think you're so mean but there are meaner (he waves his hand to create a hologram of Seris) and far more dangerous (waves his left hand again turning the Seris illusion into Androxus) people in the world than you miss!"

My father moves his hands gracefully in front of him also moving his feet as if to dance spinning every few steps. He bounces Denise from tornado to tornado creating patterns and different gusts of mint and verdant green winds blow her through the air without hurting her.

I stand back up in my seat with anticipation, I eagerly grab Evie by the arm with a big smile on my face as I tell her, "I knew he could do it!"

My father continues, "I have gotten away from the legendary Androxus! I have pushed back mighty barbarian orc hordes! Mighty goblin tech has fallen before me!"

He stands up straight and snaps his fingers. Do you still want to continue our little duel, Denise?" He says as he squats down offering her a hand.

He takes back his hand saying, "Ha ha you just got trolled!"

Evie puts her hand over her mouth giggling with burrito in her mouth, "Serves her right! That bully is like so extra!"

I nod agreeing with her.

Denise tiredly says, breathing like she does after 3 minutes of hard jump rope or brutally tiring agility drills, "I don't think so Julian! I just realized you're holding back...well so am I!"

The audience boos her after cheering my father's prank.

My father says, "Ha! You're like bluffing so bad! You're giving it your all and it still isn't enough to overcome me! If you quit the boos against you will stop."

After more back and forth dueling Denise finally quits.

"I give" she says, crying with a look of humiliation and defeat on her face.

The announcer lifts the king's hand and my father kisses his hand, waves, and my father then fist pumps while yelling with a proud yell, "Long live the king!"

The audience cheers very loudly, clapping chanting, "Julian, Julian!"

Ronni, Nessa, Evie, and I stand up, look Denise in the eyes, then look to each other and giggle.

Evie says, "What a loser! Wow she's so mean she really had it coming!"

Despite being so small compared to most elves and humans I feel so big and proud. I feel warmth spreading through my body, "I know right! She's so jealous of me and hates me for it. This wouldn't have happened and she could have even been my friend if she wasn't so mean to me!"

She's like so triggered right now! While crying she approaches me and says, "Congratulations Ying you had your father embarrass me in front of everyone! You always wear like the best clothes and everyone somehow loves you it's so annoying!"

I try holding back my smile, and slightly tilt my head blinking twice feeling flattered, "They do?"

I say tapping my finger on my chin in a fake thinking way. "I seem to remember you calling my shoes like so ratchet and how teal and orchid don't coordinate! Oh, what was that about me wearing expensive brands like cheap ones?"

With a confident winner's tone I ask her, "So are you sorry? I'm quite forgiving you know."

"No, I'm not sorry. You had your father humiliate me in front of everyone! This is the support my lovely squadmates give me like seriously?! You're trying to make me quit the squad but guess what...I won't! Every day at practice I'll be there, I'll be there performing with you cheering, and I'll be there at the tournament to eliminate you guys! Oh, by the way, A flyer can't do her amazing stunts without her bases you know!"

Evie replies, "Ooooh we're so afraid your whale waist eliminating us! I'll have you know we're practicing stunts and strategies!"

She whispers to Ronnie Nessa and me, "Psst we aren't really! Well not the scared part anyway."

I notice a gross boy who crushes hard on me, he picks his nose it's like eww!

Anyway I blow a magenta powder onto her, "Say, Denise, you envy my popularity with boys? Enjoy!" I wink to her and walk away running my fingers through my hair.

I walk away and that same boy walks over to Denise.

"Sorry...I don't mean to be rude but I really have to get going."

She only envied the cute boys liking me but I didn't make that a part of my deflection spell. We go into the hall buying more drinks, tacos and burritos. I only eat like a quarter of a taco and burrito and share the rest with my friends.

I hear a little boy ask his mom, "Do you really think the king met Androxus?"

"No dear he's only a legend. He made that up to entertain us."

Mom looks up to dad, "I'm really proud of you Julian. We must show the people that bullying shouldn't be tolerated."

Dad's hands are resting on her hips, his face to hers and he kisses her forehead.

Before things get worse Evie eagerly looks up to my father and says, "That was amazing! Can I please stay the night with you?"

Dad looks up then down to Evie, "I don't know, your parents would need to know first."

"Oh no problem! Moooom can I stay the night at Ying's please!?" She walks over looking down at Evie with a I know you did something wrong look on her face.

"You were out late again last night weren't you?"

Evie nervously looks down scratching the back of her head with her foot resting on her toe twisting behind her, "No."

"Don't lie to me young lady."

"Okay okay I went outside but only because I really wanted to look at the gorgeous night sky please! Ying and I are good friends!"

She puts her arm around me, her head lightly touching mine as she smiles, and I smile shyly and wave.

The mom agrees, "Well alright then, but stay out of trouble you!"

I know she was with Ronnie and Nessa TPing houses. Strix smiles proudly walking home with us.

"Oh did I mention that Strix lives with us?"

"Oh my gosh that is so cool!"

"Yes I do, I also need some sleep after making all this great food! I am a hardcore killer...of your hunger!"

Mommy, daddy, Strix, Evie, and I all arrive at our house. Strix cooks popcorn and brings aloe vera juice to us.

Evie taps her chin, squinting at my Ohmigoshy poster,"Hmm, I really don't think you should show this to Sha Lin or else he'd so panic and faint from how pretty they are! They color coordinate so well and the cuts of their skirts compliment their figures sooooo goooooooddd! I really like how Sophia usually does her hair!"

I giggle, "Of course you do because it looks like yours! You copied her didn't you Evie?"

She blushes a little, "Guilty."

She grabs my picture book and points at Barik, "Who's the guy with that big red beard!"

"That's uncle Barik. He's not really an uncle I just call him that he can be like so funny! He's the lead engineer for the dwarven kingdom in a faraway mountain kingdom and him and my dad talk trade a lot."

She points at my pop idol picture. "He's so cute! Ying we have to meet him!"

"The Omigoshies are scheduled to play before the tournament, and he will have a show a week after the tournament!"

"For real!?"

"He really is and you should see him with me!"

Evie moves her feet excitedly while lying on her stomach. We both get up and onto the back porch looking up at the starry sky and the calm ocean waves. "Wait, so about the tourney itself, positions get randomized for every 10 eliminations. That means we'll have to find each other! It says here it's seeded, I feel like Abby is going far she is like waaaay athletic! She also knows martial arts and mixes her magic with it."

She gets up, slowly walking back and forth from my bed to my dresser.

"Since placements are determined by who they think is strongest we don't have to worry about her beating us if she doesn't want to help."

"Evie...mom says I should be more like her mom, but I'd rather be more like you because you seem like you effortlessly make people smile and have fun while doing so."

"Aww why thank you Ying! But don't sell yourself short okay? You're very likeable too!"

She bites into a burrito drinking Cactus Cooler.

"No...thank you Ying, for being my best friend. Say, do you still have the gauze and cotton pads and socks?"

I tell her, "Of course! I made like so many of these things! I didn't need to use them...yet but from what mom a while ago I'm so gonna need some!"

She gives me a big hug and kisses me on the cheek. "Oh Ying you're the best!"

I feel so light and warm. Yes I wanted to be captain but I'm so over that. Strix and dad were right, as long as I'm on her squad everything will be okay.

She unpacks her sleeping bag and I grab my plush pillows for her. I close the curtains. The night sky and sunrise may be beautiful but we don't want the glare getting into our eyes through the big window leading to my balcony.

"Good night Evie."

We say to each other going into our sleeping bags. My sleeping bag is a pastel pink and hers a mint green. My bed left empty except for my plushies.


	5. Chapter 5: The Trade Meeting

I have this dream where I'm flying over the city but it looks so different than real life. There are towers with the brownish red archways and columns and the floors are squares with no walls and the middle empty. I can actually fly and not just strain using my magical stamina like in real life. Some stone buildings are just weird, an L shaped building with the short end holding the longer end somehow. I look through an archway and there's an entire gorgeous city where the ocean is, but I look from outside the archway and it's all ocean. It's a calm ocean with a blue sky but it's sunset through the arches.

That dream ends and I see Sha Lin wearing a dress.

Evie then wakes me and I can tell it's sunrise through the teal curtains, but for the first two minutes of being awake my desire for sleep is stronger than the cheer she brings me.

"Evie I need to sleep!"

"But we need to practice! I have awful heartburn from all that soda and spicy food! Let's exercise on the balcony!"

We do cobra for a minute followed by downward dog because stretching is quite important for cheerleading. My calves are burning so much ha ha!

I hear Evie enthusiastically yell "Leapfrog time!"

"Evie, you're so crazy ha ha!"

After 30 seconds of leap frogs we rest then I hear knocking.

"Yes?"

Strix is heard saying, "Your white tea and brown rice are ready!"

Evie says excitedly, "Oooooh that sounds yummy!"

"I ordered it, hope you don't mind."

"Of course I don't mind! You are such an amazing center flyer and squad captain!"

We take the food leaving it on a small table, and Evie and I go through my closet because she's helping me choose what to wear for school.

Evie's eyes widen with a big smile, "I really like these pants with this top! Oh my gosh you have those shoes!"

I have ballet flats in like every color tho NFinity Vengeances are comfy and my Keds go with like so much too.

We go through my bows, Evie leans forward with her hand on her chin, "Hmm, I think this one would go great with your outfit!"

I agree with her that my pink NFinity bow goes great with my outfit.

The tea is cool enough so we finish the brown rice and white tea. Wow I kinda feel sick. "I'm feeling nauseous!"

Evie washes down her rice with the tea. "Oh that's normal it'll go away trust me."

She sits on my bed, looking out to the ocean. I sit with her. "Ying, you're like my best friend ever! But no offense, and as your bestie I feel like I can say that you're too girly."

My head feels so spinny! What does she mean by too girly? I feel like the white on my shirt breaks up the carnation pink of my pants and puffy sleeves quite nicely. Besides I like teal cyan and aquamarine too!

I asked Evie, tilting my head blinking twice. "What do you mean? It's the bow isn't it?"

She then tells me with a warm caring tone as if I were her little sister, "It's not the bow silly! Ying, you just seem too nice to people and you like always downplay yourself. I honestly think being more assertive would help you so much more!"

She really is such a good friend. "I shouldn't give up pink right?"

Evie warmly laughs a little, "No sis you don't have to quit wearing pink!"

She grabs my turtle plush and pets it. "You should really learn to have more fun like me! Doesn't TPing houses just sound so exciting? Like it's just us against the world?"

"Should we really prank people tho? And what if people think I'm too bossy? Will I still be liked as much if I become more assertive?"

Evie leaps off my bed, then takes a sip of tea with our rice. We sit on the floor cross legged looking out to the beach.

Evie sighs contently, her chin resting on her knees after she uncrosses. "It's too bad Ronnie and Nessa are missing out."

As much as I like them too I kinda like our quality time together.

Her eyes narrow as she smirks at me, "On the other hand you missed out on some really fun times Ronnie Nessa and I had!"

Then her tone softens, "But you don't have to prank people to be less girly. I'm only looking out for you. As much as I like our jammies I should really shower."

"You can go first I don't mind!"

Evie showers and I hear her yell as I'm sitting at my small table, "Oooh grapefruit me likey!"

Well I'm happy she likes my taste in shampoo ha ha!

We woke early so it feels like we're leaving later than usual.

After getting ready we leave an hour later for school, I give mom and dad a big hug and thank them for letting Evie sleep over.

Strix walks with us to school, listening to the sound of horse carriages and feel the lovely seabreeze as we walk down the street. Yay it's Ronnie and Nessa!

I wave to them, "Hey you guys!"

The uncomfortable mouth watering and nauseous feeling ended thank goodness!

As Evie and I are going over our night together with Ronnie and Nessa in the school hallway we see...

Oh my gosh it's Sha Lin! How's my hair? Of course it's fine Evie helped me with it and I'm wearing a cute cheer bow! I'm feeling kinda shy with fluttering in my stomach. We walk into the courtyard catching him sitting under a palm and I say hi to him. "Ummm...hi!"

I blink standing with one foot behind the other that foot is on its toes. He is quiet, his silence worries me.

His arms are crossed.

"Umm...Sha Lin?"

He gets off the bench.

He looks angry like what did I even do? I slowly walk closer to him but he quickly moves away from me.

I feel my heart getting faster but also my nose feels like it's going to run and my ears are warming. "Why are you being like this!"

Sha Lin then stands in front of me. "You asked your dad to humiliate Denise in front of like everyone! You even made fun of her after what she's gone through! You were also mean to my little brother and won't even forgive him even tho he's sorry! And you took my tissue and cut a piece of my hair off to cast a love spell on me!"

Wait, what did I do!? Oh come on why would I even need to do that when I already know he likes me! My nose is running and eyes even warmer, I feel a warm tear going down my cheek like more will come."But Sha Lin I..."

He throws up his hands and says, "I don't care!"

"But..."

"Yop yop yop yop yop!"

I reach out to him trying to look up into his eyes trying to touch his shoulder. "You know Denise lies about people she hates right? I know she said I did those terrible creepy things to..."

He sings in a voice that'd be so wonderful if it weren't to ignore or hate me. "Yop! I'm not listening to you!"

"Fine be that way see if I care!" I turn away from him, rushing to class with my friends. How could Sha Lin treat me that way?

I go back inside the school worrying about Sha Lin. Did Denise curse him? That was so out of character for Sha Lin so I know something's wrong with him! I won't give up on him.

I see Sha Lin on the way to the next class and he gets mad again. "Wow Ying stop it okay I'm with her now!"

He kisses Denise on the cheek and I'm like so mad right now but instead I just run away and cry, feeling my hair rising and warm tears blurring my vision. I need to talk to Evie Ronnie and Nessa about this! How could he do this to me? No, it isn't his fault Denise casted a spell on him, I just know he did!

Denise meanly glares at me and I glare at her back. I know how she is and I know Sha Lin isn't really that big of a jerk!

I get back home and my friends cheer me up while we're there after I tell them what happened. We're all in the living room with the big window open overlooking the sea. The gentle sea breeze makes its way through our house.

Evie leans back gasping, then she gently brushes my hair behind my ear and pets my shoulder looking warmly into my eyes. "Ying, bestie, if he really cared about you he wouldn't be so mean!"

"I can see in his eyes he's not really bad! Please help me break the spell casted on him!"

"Okay Ying I'll try but what if it's not a spell?"

We blink at each other then hug.

Mom looks at me, knowing I'm feeling heartbroken. Evie and I hop off the couch and walk into the kitchen. Evie grabs an aloe water out of the fridge.

Mom leans forward petting the back of my head, "What's wrong dear?"

I look up into her eyes, my stomach has a sinking feeling. "Sha Lin was mean to me but I think it's because he's cursed! And he's with Denise of all people! Like he'd actually go for her on his own!"

She squats down to hug me, "Aww! You don't need a boy to be happy! If he doesn't like you then it's his loss!"

Dad then warmly says in a comforting tone, "I'm here for you if you need me for anything. I mean I can't force him to be with you or anything but I can find out his classes and have his teachers low key talk up your talents."

I'm still sad but feeling a little better. I give my dad a big hug. "Thanks dad! So you don't think I'm ugly and unlikeable?"

"I don't think that at all! Don't let anyone make you think that about yourself like ever okay!"

I look up to my dad literally feeling better, "Okay. Thanks you guys you're the best!"

Mom reminds me, "Thanks sweetie! We do have a formal tomorrow so be ready okay?"

"Of course!" Sigh, a formal. I wonder what new people I'll meet and if anyone will be my age? Trade sumits tend to just be grownups tho.

Still, I won't let the haters get their way, Imma come back like a boomerang! I go to bed thinking over my formal etiquette and manners in my head. Why do I have to be a princess? On the other hand I might make more friends!

After finishing breakfast...wait I recognize that knock.

Evie and Abby are here! She jumps into the somersaulting in the air slowly landing then yells, "Hi girlfriend!"

"Oh my gosh I'm like so happy to see you! Evie you know Abby right!"

"Happy to meet you again oh this party is so gonna be fun!"

"With you here it will!" I say.

"It is formal tho so yeah you gotta dress up for it. I'll ask Strix to make you some popcorn while I'm getting ready."

I walk down the hall to the kitchen, the sun's light lighting the hall through the ceiling windows.

"Hey Strix! I know you're getting ready for the trade meeting but can you make some popcorn for my friends please?"

"For you anything."

"Thanks!"

I run back to Evie.

Evie says with a troublemaking giggle, "Hey I had an idea how about we steal a pirate hat I would look so pretty with it!"

"No!" I yell.

Abby then says with an annoyed yet concerned tone, "Like seriously can't you just buy or make one?"

Evie laughs, "Oh yeah I guess I just wanted a fun way to do it."

Abby says, "Do you have to be here for the trade thing?"

I say with a sad sigh, "Yeah. I'm gonna change."

My big teal bow on it matches my dress. The hemline is just past my knees and it's wide of puffy with a snug but not too tight middle. My shoes are also teal with a short heel. My stockings are white and the dress itself is lacy with a teal skirt and white bodice, teal poofy sleeves, bows, and lots of fabric. At least the event is in the evening and the sea breeze kinda helps with it.

The people invited over to dress me and do my hair shoo away my friends but they only want to help me. I feel so pretty after hours of enduring this!

I see a big turtle man walk through the front door. Evie with obvious curiosity looks up and down at him, looks up into his eyes, and says,

"You're a turtle!"

"Yes I am."

"I'm Evie!"

"And I'm King Makoa. Are you a friend of the princess little girl?"

Evie puts her hands on her hips pouting, "Little girl?! I'll have you know I'm the captain of our elementary school's cheerleading squad we do both sideline and competitive cheer you know! And I'll be captain again next year in middle school!"

I rush over. I'm sure Makoa admires Evie's accomplishments but yeah adults hate it when we get that way with them.

I try keeping the peace, "Hi I'm Ying the princess and yes Evie is my friend."

Mom comes over and says, "No offense girls but this is an important trade meeting so I'm afraid you'll have to go soon."

Evie rolls her eyes, says ugh! Throws up her hands and yells, "Fine! Hey Abby wanna prank some people?"

"No thanks it isn't my thing."

Twenty minutes later a fairy queen comes in, and 10 minutes after that an orc chief.

The orc greets my father with, "Oh you don't know just how much we appreciate your help in beating back Grohk's forces!"

Dad smiles looking up, "It's the least I could do."

Makoa shakes dad's hand, "Those pirates you hired to defeat those other pirates helped us a lot! And your country's demand for coconuts and ours for cactus pears and avocados has enriched both our countries so much!"

A half hour later the dwarf king comes through the door. "Umm...I really don't know how to tell you this but your guards are sleeping, that's so unusual."

Mom has a focused glint in her eyes "Yes, it is."

Something's wrong.

The dwarf king sits down with Barik standing beside him. Barik smells like burning and soda.

Bark greets me, "Ying! How've you been? How's cheerleading? Oh I have so many questions!"

"I've been doing okay thank you! I made an all star team last year and will be on the middle school team next year! It's off season now tho but I'll compete in some preseason showcases for my all star team. How have you been Barik?"

"Wow...where to start? You know how we make metal and stuff? Well, the legends say Ares is coming back and will reek vengeance on everyone. There is an ancient magical sword created by the gods themselves that will reveal the chosen one and it's like way powerful! So my king wants me to find the sword and destroy its resting place so we can keep making more and more of them. There's no way the gods can beat us if we have thousands of amazingly strong god slaying weapons! I bet our great dwarven factories are already good enough to make them!"

Huh, fascinating...I guess.

The dwarf king addresses everyone else, "Hi everyone!" He takes a sip of white tea and bites an avocado, "We have traveled far coming from mountains to the northeast and had to cross deserts to get here!"

He takes a bite out of his udon with sesame oil and soy sauce and continues. "We have plenty of metal to trade with you! We thank you for helping us with the goblins, Ruckus was inside this strange metal golem! That metal looked so hard and sleek I honestly don't think even we could remake it. But your aid helped us push him back!"

Uggh, politics is so boring!

Fairy Queen Hemlock pleads, "We can't even use our own water because some stupid company won't let us! Seriously they steal it just to sell it away! I mean sure you do help us but that corporation is a bit too much!"

Poor lady. I wish I could help the fairies.

Mom walks in, "Uhh...no. Our country does so much for all of yours yet what do we get in return? A few coconuts and a bit of steel? Where were all of you when we had record wildfires? We're requesting more sugar and coconuts from you Makoa! And you dwarf king, we give you so much money for your weapons and jewelry plus all the help we give you in war! And you Hemlock! We help protect you guys so why should we keep helping you?"

Hemlock says, "But we really need the money our fairy kingdom so we can't pay you that much!"

My dad tries pleading with mom, "But Alyssa! The other countries won't like us if we're mean to them! The fairies are also dealing with Zhin's crap too. We aren't even strong enough even together to stand up to his empire!"

Mom replies, "I don't care! The water issue and droughts have been hurting us so much! We're also a target of so many countries I mean the dragon people country was thinking about invading the vulpine country until we told them no!"

The doors quickly slam open and it's Denise's mom!

"How can you have a trade meeting without me! I run the biggest, most powerful company in the world! We own so many rivers and like so many malls! So please, want to discuss anything?"

Makoa's eyes squint and nose wiggles in anger, "You! It was your company who paid pirates to attack us!"

Dad butts in, "Yeah and you also hold everyone hostage by keeping water away from everyone unless they pay a lot for it!"

Why do I have to be here?

Mia responds to dad, "Oh please if people are too weak to fight me over it then I deserve to make money off it!"

Dad angrily tells her, "Oh yeah we could take it back it we want!"

"Ha! How? We have the best pirates protecting it from people trying to get it for free and I am the most powerful sorceress in the land! I'm dismissing myself. Bye!"

Dad tells everyone, "I'm so sorry about that! One of these days we'll have to find a way of getting rid of her company!"

Mom tells me it's time for bed so my helpers help me with my formalwear and I wipe off my makeup, shower, write in my diary, and sleep.

I'm on the beach, the water slowly and gently ebbing and flowing, washing my legs. Suddenly a big wave hit me and there's this big shell monster! Its claws look so terrible! I deeply inhale, exhale, then hit it with my beam. The monster bleeding a reddish brown like a river, I kind of feel bad for it agonizing, then it comes back! Oh no, please don't hurt anyone! What would mom do?

I wake up with a terrible headache but sigh with relief that it was just a dream.

I get my DIY sanitary napkins and today is kinda worrying but also exciting.

I go down stairs and Strix greets me, Good morning Ying! I've prepared some pomegranate and hibiscus tea for you! It was your mom's idea!"

"Thanks!"

After eating and drinking...Evie Nessa and Abby at the door? Gosh I feel like a vicious demon is inside me trying to claw its way out!

I ask Nessa about Ronni, Nessa looks at me and says, "She's not feeling well today. Too bad you've been feeling terrible. I'm here for you."

Abby then tells me, "Sorry Ying."

Huh? Why is she apologizing?

Abby then tells me, "Nessa and I have agreed that we need a time skip."

Okay I'm so confused now like seriously...

Abby and Nessa tell me, "Let's just enjoy the rest of our day!"

Oh come on!

Dear diary, today was scary yet somewhat magical and exciting.

Then I go to bed, feeling miserable.


	6. Chapter 6: The Tournament

Uh oh that enormous centipedy monster is chasing me! I desperately switch places with my illusions, but I'm running out of magical stamina fast! I lift myself up and I shoot my pink energy beams at them, I'm so scared my magic's draining way too fast! What am I even doing here in this desert?

This is goodbye, I hope my friends will be okay and...Oh thank goodness it was just a dream and Abby just startled me awake. "Hey Ying today's tournament day!"

Strix and Evie are outside my door, I barely have my eyes open and roll face first onto my pillow. I groan wanting to slowly wake but Evie shakes me and says, "Wake up sleepy head!"

I roll around again, put my feet into my slippers, and drag one foot across the carpet and another across the tile. I yawn on the way to the breakfast table.

Evie ask me, "Guess who's taking care of the snacks for the tournament?"

"Ronnie and Nessa?"

Evie smiles, "No silly they'll be too busy fighting oh that's right we'll need a plan we are a squad after all! Hey...how are you two at the table already!?"

Ronnie and Nessa wave to me."Hey Ying!"

Evie laughs in an oh my gosh you guys are so silly kind of way. "Fighting in your uniform like seriously?!"

Nessa shrugs, "Well if they work for stunts they should work for fighting too besides solidarity!"

I tell them. "You do that I'll wear my loose pink pants and white and pink shirt. We know we're all a team."

Evie looks excited I'm happy to see you too bestie! "How do you guys like my striped leggings and plaid skirt!? Aren't they just the coolest?"

I would have loved to have gone shopping with her but I had to sit through the stupid and then scary trade meeting.

Evie is always so cool and I tell her. "Actually they are Evie, the black vest also looks great on you."

Ronnie annoyed says, "But team spirit!"

I smile and tell her, "Don't worry we know we're all a squad when we find each other we work together!"

Evie replies with her feet on the table leaning back in her chair, "Until we're the last ones standing of course then I'll defeat you guys okay?"

Abby is covering her face trying to hide laughter.

I take a bite of my oatmeal. "What's wrong?"

She giggles ever so slightly, shrugging "Oh nothing."

With a very slight smile she replies, "Only when it's convenient tho I'm sure they can look after themselves. I mean who can we expect to fight?"

Pip comes out of the guard dorms, scratches his tail, and says, "Wow I'm starving what's for breakfast?"

Strix looks down at him, "Oatmeal with blueberries, but you are a vulpine so for you I have prepared some...HAMBURGERS!"

Sha Lin follows, "Aww man why can't I have any?"

"Because human...they just aren't good for you this early okay!?"

"Seriously bro we will just go inside a simulation we aren't really gonna fight!"

Strix smiles, adjusting his chef cap. "Be that as it may...vulpines and humans...we have different food needs."

We are on the way to the carriage so I didn't sit long enough for my legs to fall asleep. If my feet dangle too long it happens. Mom gets down on one knee, putting her hand on my shoulder, "My dear Ying, remember what you're fighting for."

She gets up and walks away. I'm like so confused right now. Me, dad, Strix, Evie, Abby, Pip, Sha Lan, Nessa, and Ronnie all go into the carriage.

I look at Abby's father, taking a sip of water. "Aren't you coming with us?"

"Nah I'll just walk."

By himself seriously?

I look out into the ocean whenever buildings aren't blocking my view. Yay we're here at last! It didn't feel that long with my besties traveling with me. And we almost forgot Pip was even here! He's Sha Lin's little brother after all. If I'm missing anything I'll know who to blame, it wouldn't be the first time Pip stole from me.

Strix is setting up his food stand while Evie, Ronnie, Nessa, and I huddle into a corner lying on our stomachs talking strategy. "Okay so we have to find and work together okay just save your energy and stamina go team!" Evie says excitedly.

Denise and her parents walked through the door and we meanly glare at each other. Then the tiger boy from the other day flips off from the second floor landing on his feet in dramatic style.

He's wearing some ninja robes, a dark brown leather jacket, a pirate bandanna, and torn pirate pants.

Everyone is in aww of him but Abby isn't impressed. "I have a feeling he's going to be someone to watch out for!"

I say, "But I'm actually quite worried about Denise, she is always up to no good!"

Sha Lin tells me, "You don't have to worry about her, I mean she tried getting me to fall in love with her! Well I can't deny her good taste! Right Pip?"

"Anything you say big brother!"

Oh that's boys for you. He is right tho.

I walk down the hallway and overhear two ladies talk, "So Ashe do you think my little brother here will take it?"

Ashe smiles and says back, "Yeah huh Kinessa! That scarf matches your eyes like so well!"

"Hmm why thank you. So little brother how are you feeling?"

"I want to fight!" He says feet shoulder width apart punching his hand with a big smile with wide yet focused eyes. As I make my way down the hall I see Denise talking to cheerleaders from another school.

"Hey girls! I know we're like supposed to be rivals but oh my gosh my own squad is so stuck up and doesn't even act like I'm one of them and the captain and her friends hate me!"

Evie shrugs then whispers in my ear, "Well she isn't lying."

Denise continues, "So anyway they're gonna be a bit dangerous to us so we gotta take them out soon! There's also a tiger boy and vampire kid we have to look out for. Don't worry girls I brought my own squad to back us up...boys!"

Abby laughs seeing the bullies knowing she'd win verse them again.

"Seriously them?! I'm like so dead!"

The average sized one says to one of the cheerleaders, "Hey beautiful! May I kiss your hand?"

She glares at him with an are you kidding me look on her face and she backs away from him.

Denise glares at him and slaps his hand, "No! She's gonna help us so stay professional okay!"

"But boss!"

"No!"

I take a right down another hallway and struggle to see past all these much taller people so I peep in between a couple of people's arms after tippy toeing. I see the pirate captain and cowboy talking to Tiger, "Arrrg ye mate I hear you got these landlubbers quite scared! We be winning that pile o money fer sure arrrggg!"

"Dad...please don't"

"I be a pirate how I speak is part of who I be!"

"Ugggh, fine dad."

I watch Abby walk over to them, she flips her hair to one side of her neck, crosses her arms, and says, "So you really think you'll win...I don't think so."

"Who do you think ye be lassie I'll have you know my son here is a weretiger training to be a pirate and a ninja!"

"Ooooh I'm so scared...not really."

"Men..." A couple of ninjas with pirate outfits jump out.

"Yes sir!"

Nessa and Ronnie look at each other rolling their eyes, the looks on their faces saying "Ugh really?"

One of the pirate ninjas says, "Even if you don't win little guy I'm proud of you for competing."

"Yeah like seriously I've seen you train. Your energy control is on point but it's your strength and speed that really make you good!"

"Now win that treasure for us son arrggh!"

Abby's dad walks over, "Is that you...Pirate Captain?"

"Arrg why if it isn't me good friend!"

Abby's father is wearing a navy peacoat and triangular hat. He dresses that way because he's a navy captain. Ahhh, to work with the lovely feel and smell of sea breezes always present!

"Dad you know him?!"

"Of course him and I go like way back, he saved my life when I was leading a raid on a Goblin port to the south. I was physically and magically tired and this beast was gonna kill me and then he shot him, span around, and finished him with his pirate sword then healed me."

"Arrgh it was the least I could do."

The cowboy leaning against the wall is flipping a coin and when staring at it responds, "Yup those were some tough times, anyway we gotta find some seats the Omigoshies are playing soon. I hear their color coordination and outfit cuts are like seriously good! Not everyone agrees of course but wow! Chartreuse and lemon is an especially underrated color combo! She even has the right undertones for pulling off chartreuse eyeshadow aaaaahhhh! I'll go eat a bacon wrapped hot dog now."

I seriously can't believe bacon wrapped hot dogs are a thing, I find them gross.

"Arrrghh I be hearing that too! Their jams be so uplifting peppy and poppy!"

I can already smell seasoning, fries, sriracha, popcorn, and the auditorium's main room has more and louder talking, the food is ready and I so want a burrito!

Abby grabs my sleeve "Ying, can I talk to you it's so important!"

We walk down a hall then stand under a staircase away from the other people. She looks nervous, she shyly adjusts her scarf.

"Do you have a crush Abby. Abby's gotta boyfriend!"

"No Ying it's not like that! I'm scared I'm gonna lose and everyone's gonna make fun of me!"

"Girl you're like way better than me, honestly I don't mind if I don't win as long as we all have fun together! Oh and we beat that mean bully!"

"True...I just want to not embarrass myself."

Abby sighs, smiles, then tells me, "But I know I'm great and gonna do well and I think you will too Ying." I smile.

"Thanks Abby!"

"No problem I just get so afraid of failing. Let's see what Strix cooked. We just know it's gonna be good and oh my gosh the show is gonna start soon! Of course we're the main event."

More people are here and there's more talking, the voices melding into one sound like a cafeteria.

At the food stand's line we overhear a wolf kid in a karate gi talking to a little chicken boy in a karate gi. "How can we win without magic? Like seriously it isn't fair!"

The chicken boy adjusts his glasses with his little yellow wing and replies, "Don't worry Andrew we trained like so hard we might not have magic but we have technique. I bet most of these other kids can't even fight properly!"

"But Eduardo I'm colorblind! I don't know how I'm going to make it until the end."

"It's okay I'll have your back."

Abby then whispers to me, "I have magic and technique, I'd so beat them."

Is she trying to convince herself or me? I know she'd beat them but does she actually know that? Well the wolf is colorblind, maybe we can lean against single colored walls and ambush him that way? We'd be like, invisible to him!

"Hello children...what can I get for you?"

"Oh I'll have a hamburger with fries please."

Eduardo the chicken lifts his wing and says, "Excuse me sir I'll have a chicken sandwich!"

Now I'm ordering, "Hi Strix! I'll have the mustard grilled patty burger with well done fries and a burrito please!"

Mostly for my friends, there's umm, like no way I'll actually be able to eat all this! I really don't want to look like Denise.

Abby orders. "I'll just get my burger protein style thank you."

Evie interrupts, "Strix...since you know us and all do we still have to pay?"

I blink at him with puppy dog eyes with my hands clasped.

Strix adjusts the red handkerchief, smiles, and replies, "I'll give you the same answer I gave your blue haired friend, nope!"

Evie then says back, "Aww come on please a discount?"

"Nope, full price!"

"Uggh...fine."

Evie shrugs and tells me, "Oh well it was worth a try."

Evie magically blinks then hops looking at us pointing down at seats she's saving for us.

We sit down in the middle seats catching up to Evie, Ronnie, Nessa, Pip, and Sha Lin who of course is sitting next to me. I'm feeling kinda nervous I mean yeah I'm crushing on him but we aren't really dating. Is he still cursed? Was he really mad at me and the curse brought out his real feelings? I'm kinda confused and uncomfortable with my feelings like why do I have to feel this way it's so torture and vulnerable! Why do I even like him? Oh yeah, he's funny, smart, handsome, gentlemanly, and wants to be a famous idol someday! I believe in him!

Okay Ying stay calm. Oh sorry I'm crushing so hard anyway Pip and Sha Lin discuss their plan, and I'm looking at his feet, his flip flop upper matching his apple red pants and vest. My foot dangling near his calf, should I do it? What if he moves his foot back or worse tells me to move mine? Why do I even feel an urge to put my foot on his? Is that Denise walking over here? Oh no please don't start anything!

Her calf pushes my foot against his calf and she pets and presses on Sha Lin's foot with her foot then gives me a mean look. I'm like so mad at her you have no idea! I angrily glare back at her crossing my arms, then she keeps walking and sits with her new friends, if only they knew how much of a mean bully she was. Sha Lin is blushing a little bit! He's also quieter I hope he didn't actually like her touching him! I quickly move farther up my chair gently stepping on his foot.

He lets out a startled, "Ow!"

I gasp out a startled yet whispering "Sorry!"

And just kinda rest my foot on his ankle and I push forward a bit in my seat so I can reach his foot to clean that nasty Denise off his foot.

I hope no one is going to tease me for this! I like his touch but if people knew that they might tease me for it! I feel a warm, pleasant electricity going from my foot up my calf. Just because I like this feeling doesn't mean I deserve to be shamed for it.

Evie leaves her seat and tells me, "I have go somewhere watch my stuff okay?" Then she walks down the aisle.

The lights dim and my father appears on stage wearing...swimming shorts? Why did I have to be in the front row able to see this embarrassment?

"Hello my subjects! You may be wondering why I'm wearing swim shorts...well I was surfing for a bit and didn't have time to change into pants and a shirt okay! Most of you have seen my public speech wear so you know I can dress quite well but anyway I'm gonna explain the tournament rules and stuff.

Everyone will see what's happening on the large screen and you'll all have your own devices to see the tournament from whoever's eyes you want. It's a magical simulation so no one actually gets hurt the contestants are sitting down with helmets on so the tournament is kinda like their shared dream. If someone loses they are disconnected and every 10 eliminations will reset everyone's position, so the more people are gone the more space everyone has, and there are 100 kids signed up to fight. My daughter Ying is also competing can you please stand Ying!"

I slide forward in my seat putting my hands over my face. Then I reluctantly stand up, and shyly wave as the audience claps for me. I kinda like the attention but am scared I'll do something dumb making them laugh at me instead.

Dad continues, "Yes she's competing but don't worry I won't be mad if you defeat her like seriously trying to win is your duty in that machine! Now the moment you've all been waiting for and I personally booked them because my daughter is such a huge fan I even bought her their poster the Omigoshies!"

The curtain falls on my father and when it rises again the band is going to play I've been waiting for like so long for this! Wow I'm starting to sound like Evie! They look way happy and energetic! Isabella is wearing a tangerine top with a wide pleated A line turquoise skirt. The hemline reaches her knees and her tangerine hair is in pigtails with aqua frosted tips.

Hannah has a lemon mini tulle full skirt with the hemline halfway down the thigh and chartreuse slim cut crop top with mostly lemon yellow hair with some light electric yellow highlights. Her hair is so wavy you could tell a master of the double barrel curling wand worked on it.

Sophia is wearing a gorgeous shimmery silver knife pleated skirt coming down to her fingertips and beautiful azure blue shoulderless crop top with long sleeves, her hair still has wavy pigtails but with half of each dyed azure. There are also wavy hair tendrils parted from the middle and dyed azure. Azure fits her just as well as sapphire and she's wearing azure riding boots just below the knee. All their shoes are flats and match their outfits.

Wait...Evie is in front of them! So that's where she went? The crowd is cheering as the Ohmigoshies yell a peppy, "Heeeeeeeeyyyyyyy!" throwing up spirit fingers in their usual happy positive way but a guard throws Evie off the stage as walks in front of them.

She storms to us, "People like seriously have no respect!" she jumps, turns, then drops back into her chair hard, pouts crossing her arms.

I point out trying to cheer Evie, "The tangerine and turquoise one's hairstyle is like so good ohmigosh!"

Abby slightly smiles and tells her, "Of course you'd say that it's the same hairstyle!"

Evie giggles and says, "You know I love complimenting myself using someone else."

I get up and walk seeing most people are either sleeping or hopping up and down fanning themselves yelling, "Ahhhhhhh!"

There are men who are sleeping. Are these men crushing so hard they can't handle the Omigoshie's amazing color coordination, dancing, and singing voices? The lights go so well with their outfits, I wish I could match colors that well but I'm just too basic to even touch those colors.

I see Denise's mom stepping on her dad's foot trying to wake him up. She's probably feeling jealous of the band. They stand with their legs wide and punch motion into spirit fingers. Then they sing while shaking their hips then walking in a circle then lifting their microphones into the air, they float up with their magic and fly over the stage. I can feel the sound skipping over my skin and it goes deeper and makes me want to dance. The beats are quite danceable and the highs are crisp and clean. Their perky jams stand out in a sea of pop stars who sing about being sad about breakups or getting over breakups.

On the way back to my seat I noticed Pip is still awake and so is Tiger's dad and his cowboy friend sitting with some soda and popcorn. "Arrrgh this green kombucha with spirulina is like sooo much healthier than that corn syrup crap arrrrgggghhh!"

The manly cowboy shrugs and says, "Eh, just a habit."

Pip says with an impressed tone in his voice,"Wow they dance so well!"

Evie responds enthusiastically,"Yeah they can!"

She then tells me, "We like have to remember those dance moves we can use them for our cheering routine! Too bad these seats are in the way I want to dance to this music like so bad!"

Abby replies, "I hear you Evie!"

Ronnie says, "I know it's a good show but we have to focus on our plan we're all gonna play soon!"

Nessa says back, "Yeah but right now we wanna hear these jams!"

"You always take her side Nessa!"

"What can I say I agree with her this time."

Someone behind us says "The chartreuse and lemon one has such an amazing outfit and gorgeous hair!" She has chartreuse hair with lemon highlights and lemon accents on her chartreuse dress.

"I don't know I like the azure and silver one." Evie ran out of fries so she takes some of mine without asking. She's that kinda girl but I won't hold it against her.

The Omigoshies close with their goodbye song and the chartreuse and lemon one, tangerine and aqua one, and cherry and silver one all stand together, smile, and the crowd loudly claps.

The curtain falls with the spotlights on them and dad comes back up, "Wow what a great group they are like so amazing! Anyway the competition shall soon begin! Remember the rules everyone gets a full recovery after every 10 people get out and the same thing with the final two. Anyway good luck and have fun!"

Abby says to Evie and me, "We so have to watch each other! Ugh, do you see how confident Denise looks I can't stand her!"

Evie responds,"I hear ya!"

Evie moves her hands like she's using pompoms shaking her hips as if we were at a football game doing sideline cheer. " we got them scared shaking their knees!"

We all sit down in this room and after a countdown. I feel these weird sensations, my heart beating, and a slight electricity running over my skin. I feel like I'm actually leaving my body and I reappear in this strange, dreamy feeling place.

We are transported into this big yet obviously fake looking village. Colors are brighter and even for 100 people is quite big there are palm trees, eucalyptus trees, big open fields, a big castle, and lots of houses with hallways. I'm kinda nervous like Abby but unlike her I don't know if I'll get very far.

The fat boy bully who's Denise's friend says to Abby, "They had these magic things analyze us and placed by better versus worse so it was nice knowing you but I'll have to eliminate you now if you don't mind!"

Abby crosses her arms and rolls her eyes sighing the way she does whenever she hears someone say something stupid, then looks at me with a knowing you got this smile.

The bell rings and one of Denise's henchmen tries punching me but I duck, punch his stomach, then do an inward crescent kick. I eliminated him and didn't even need to use magic! "Gosh you're so lucky! I'll get..."

Abby interrupts that guy's fat friend with a sweeping ground kick. He tries getting up but Abby kicks him in the face then he disintegrates so he's going back to sit with the audience.

A goblin girl smaller than me tries attacking me as she yells, "For king Ruckus!"

Ronnie and Nessa lift me basket tossing me and I spin then kick the goblin in the face. She's like so aggy right now then Nessa shoves her into a wall eliminating her.

"Nessa! You stole my kill!"

She giggles and jokingly apologizes, knowing I'm just playing with her.

Everything has already reset, most of the eliminations I haven't even witnessed. I wonder how Sha Lin and Evie are doing? Gosh, I hope they're doing okay! I'd be so sad if they were already gone and I couldn't team with them, as I enjoy sharing experiences with them.

Evie and I have such an exciting and magical friendship, she's always been there for me and is the best captain a cheerleader a girl could ever ask for.

Uh oh it's the next round I'm so nervous! I feel my senses sharpen yet so vulnerable, my stomach tensing. But I feel like we can do this together!

For round 2 I set up an illusion in a house, kinda risky since someone can attack me after getting back. I energy blast an orc boy and he rushes me, but I teleport away then back and trip him. I'm feeling kinda confident! I wonder how Evie and Abby are doing?

Oh my gosh it's Evie! I'm so happy she's okay! I'm feeling so light! Her wide grin and gleaming eyes tell me she's enjoying herself so much. I meet up with her.

Her face lights up and she greets me, "Heya bestie!"

"I'm so happy to see you Evie! You're doing great aren't you?"

"Yeppers."

Two human and a cougar humanoid cheerleader in the same uniform have an arrogant I'm so gonna beat you losers look on their face and also one is crossing her arms. Her smirk and mean squint telling me how she's feeling. I don't like you either you think you're so amazing well you're not okay!

"Heh you losers really think you'll get farther ha! We don't think so! How did you girls even make it onto an all star team?"

Her friend raises her right arm doing spirit fingers shaking her hips going, "Woo woo woo!"

Her mean friend glares are her, "Excuse me but we're a competitive cheer squad! I don't do sideline cheer and neither should you!"

She sighs, looking down at her shoes, then back up to her captain scratching her head just under her high messy ponytail, "I'm sorry, I was just trying to tease them by doing a bad chant!"

Haha she's mocking us because she doesn't think we can spirit! But she does remind me of a girl at cheerleading tryouts and I had to tell her don't just go woo woo woo actually say things when you spirit.

Wow girl you don't have to be so mean to us! I stare off unfocusedly remembering when their team beat ours. Evie may have been better than all of them but their team was better than ours, my gosh their stunts! If only I could stay tight and not wobble. Ronnie and Nessa were such good bases so I really can't blame them for us losing. It was all my fault, I kinda wobbled and lost my confidence. I spinned on my heel with my toe down but Nessa says she blames herself for not having her finger behind my heel.

Even tho we didn't win I was still satisfied that my friends and I were in it together, and second place isn't that bad. Still, I think their coach Lian played dirty, good thing she's 16 and too old for this tournament, I don't know if Evie and I would be able to defeat her.

Evie tells them, "Yeah whatever."

She floats up, teleports when they look up then she uses magic to propel her kick in her chest staggering her, then with one smooth movement Evie lifts her bent knee at a sideways 45 degree angle while extending her leg making her foot hit the other girl in the shoulder. She then follows by dropping down, extending her foot in the same way, and kicking her behind her calf knocking her on her back.

I try a high big wide kick, but she ducks. She grabs my foot after ducking but I turn the other way and got away from her.

The Cougar extended her arm forward to claw me and it hurts a bit but now Evie isn't busy anymore. I put my fists up, stand strong, and we keep jabbing and blocking each other. My thumb goes over my fingers and I turn my forearm then move my fist up using the side of my body to give extra force to the punch.

Evie tells me, "Not bad!"

We see the little chicken with glasses slide under a frog person and he judo throws the frog after turning around.

He looks at him as he disappears and says, "You couldn't counter right you need to tighten up your form. Good fight tho!"

That was elimination 20 so we're resetting.

The last two rounds weren't really that hard but wow I didn't know I was this good! I know it's gonna get harder so I'm kinda afraid. I start this round in the castle, the environment so much tighter than I want but I'll work with it. I set up an illusion under a stairway and a dwarf boy and girl attack me.

I think to myself, "Oh no!"

I block their blows but am already getting kinda tired and then Nessa helps me with them, we eliminate the boy then the girl. We leave the castle, run down the hill and see Tiger is beating up a lizard boy. He jumps over his tail swing then jumps off the tree making him go faster then claws the lizard rapidly. He then eliminates a human because he's too strong and fast for him.

He looks scary! Even tho it's way more space than before this round also ends fast.

We meet up with Evie.

She yells, "Hey girls! Say, that group over there really doesn't look like they like us, ready for plan A?"

I nod. Evie and I hold each other around Nessa's neck. Nessa's arms are over our interlocked arms and she spins. I glow a soft pink and Evie a medium blue, we add our own energy to make the attack stronger and not strain Nessa as much. We kick a group of four kids and they go down like so hard.

Denise is on a roof evilly grinning at us. Evie Nessa and I nod to each other and...somewhere else someone got the 40th elimination.

With 60 left we're going to fight harder people more often. I should really stay calm but I want to win this so much!

I'm starting off near the lake and see a cheerleader wearing the same uniform as the ones eliminated earlier. She's a Cougar, of course. They think they're baddies for winning nationals last year but guess what we know they cheated!

She looks at me meanly and says, "If I had ugly legs I'd wear flouncy pants too!"

"Seriously?" She tries jabbing but I block her and she dodges my kick. She powers up a magical beam but I create an illusion teleport to it so it was hit instead. A football player from her school tries tackling me but I aerial out of the way. I float myself up and he creates a shield, I create an illusion behind him and shatter it. I elbow him in the chest then roundhouse and finish with a magical burst.

I need to recover magically and I see Evie beating up that other cheerleader. She eliminates her and we see a kid transform into a 16 year old!

I gasp then say, "What!? He's too old to compete here wow you people!"

He snidely remarks, "Oh well I'm here now!"

Ronnie and Evie are now with me. We do the whirlybird but he's dodging so much. We manage to hit him a few times but he turns bronze taking less damage and throws us with his mind.

We then basket toss Evie who then scissor kicks him. Evie confidently punch motions her left hand forming a pom pom of blue light, blinks up, and chills him by throwing the energy pompoms at him from above. He gets up, wiping his forehead and Sha Lin and Ronnie join us. Sha Lin tosses me while Ronnie and Nessa basket toss Evie. We both tuck and spin and glow and sparkle when we reach the toss's peak. We leave a trail of bright sparkling light, mine carnation pink and Evie's azure blue, as we both kick him flying through the air.

The no good 16 year old cheater is defeated, looking surprised and humiliated when he faded away.

Abby is fighting the cheater's friend, and he gets on top of her. Her arms are straight as her hands are on his shoulders. While she holds him back she rolls onto her right hip and her hands slide down to his elbows. She puts her right foot on his hip. She comes back to the center and puts her other foot on his other hip and he's trying to get closer to her but he's off balance. He pulls away then her hands quickly move down to his wrists and she kicks him in the face using her feet and kicks him in the painful empty space between his ribs, then she slides out going back to neutral.

He's still staggered and Abby's eyes focus with burning intensity as they block each other's punches. She rushes him getting close enough so he can't really get much power from his position but Abby can use all of hers as he can't really use enough force that close to her because he's much bigger and taller.

She throws punches fast then does a jumping inside crescent kick to his face. The 5'6" man was so tall to her. She uses magic to rush forward she keeps hitting him as she goes back and forth. Yay Abby eliminated that cheater! Huh, looks like she didn't need my help. It happened much faster than it'd actually take describing it.

The little chicken is fighting a goblin. They are kinda the same size and the goblin tries a magic blast but the chicken side steps it and keeps punching him with his short yellow wings and kicks him.

I run into a house face to face with a jack rabbit person. We circle each other shooting magic then I create an illusion, teleport behind him and he turns but I do a fast split and punch his stomach on the way down. Then I get back up and I kick him behind the knee. I have my illusion shatter, eliminating him.

There's a ghostly lady with a weird haircut dressed in purple behind me and says, "Did you mean to do that?"

"Who...are you?"

"Wait how did I even get here? This is embarrassing well adios!"

She then waves bye and disappears. I don't know how long until the next round, I just want to last and help my friends.

I leave the house and see Denise eliminating a parrot girl. She rolled through her barrier but the parrot didn't follow.

Denise gets kicked in the stomach but she says, "My cousin Buck taught me this!"

She turns her magic energy into physical, leaps high, then slaps her and finishes her with lots of small magical blasts. Before I can challenge her tho I get attacked by a gila monster kid.

I'm getting so tired from the poison so I make my illusion heal me. He knocks me down with his tail but I switch places with my illusion, kick him in the stomach, he gets back up and I fire small light blasts at him. He's breathing heavy standing on one knee. I create an illusion and switch places just before he rushes at me, then shatter the illusion. I then run forward, front handspring into a pike kicking his face eliminating him as he was so gassed from my illusion shattering.

Now there are 40 left. It's getting harder now but too bad I couldn't eliminate Denise gosh I hate her so much! With far fewer people at least hiding is easier.

I look for more people to eliminate but out of nowhere I get hit! "Why do you hate orcs so much huh!"

"What!?"

"Yeah you heard me Denise told me all about it!"

I'm so mad at that lying bully my gosh you have like no idea! I get up and dust myself off. I'm a little shaken from that surprise attack and he got triggered from a lie too! I'm a bit afraid I just don't know if I can last again!

Oh well I can't let my fear stop me but I'm so sad he thinks I hate people based on race I'm not a disgusting scumbag that does that.

He's not that bad by himself but his human friend makes this a 2v1. The orc is squatted down, Abby would know how to fight against this monkey style kung fu form more than I would but I do know some magic.

As I move around teleporting between my illusions Evie comes by! "So you really want to pick on a girl huh!"

A Cougar girl meanly tells Evie, "You know you shouldn't match plaid with stripes...right?"

Then she tries attacking us. We are behind a long building Evie uses a cold spell, teleports up, jumps off the wall then kicks the human and she says, "That's for saying not to match plaid with stripes!" I jump up and throw a big energy ball at the orc.

After eliminating the two humans and orc Evie and I help Ronnie with an owl girl. The owl is spinning and flying at her but Evie tumbles towards her, does a high magically pushed aerial, lands on her shoulders and says, "Weeeeeee! Get ready for a crash landing!"

She's eliminated then Evie asks, "Wasn't that awesome?"

Ronnie agreed saying, "Heck yeah Eves!"

We watch Sha Lin and Pip fight a bull kid. He's so wide and tall.

Sha Lin backs up and says, "I really don't think you wanna fight me. I'm giving you a chance to back out. You can even join my friend and I."

The bull lets out a, "Ha! No way bro! I promised Denise I'd eliminate you, you know who she is and you understand right?"

He then charges Sha Lin.

Sha Lin says, "Uh oh!" with wide worried eyes. He kicks the bull so much and Pip uses magic to bounce around him kicking him. They both bounce off walls Sha Lin kicking him in the face and Pip kicking him in the back of the head.

Sha Lin tells Pip, "Good job brother!" They then moonwalk towards then away from each other and back then do a special handshake.

Abby rolls her eyes and says, "Boys."

It's now down to 30 people I made it this far so I feel so good! Even tho it's too late to be bad I'm still kinda nervous.

I know winning isn't everything and my friends and I already had lots of fun. The important thing is we're sharing experiences with each other and no amount of prize money can buy that. I'm a princess anyway but still what would I do with the money? There are lots of charities for the poor and animals, which I will do after I treat my friends to eating out of course.

I walk down an alley and I see a tall boy wearing dark blue ninja and dark brown pirate clothes flirting with Abby. I can hear them as I run towards them to help Abby.

He tells her, "Your cornflower blue shirt matches your eyes so well!"

"Sigh, you think I'm dumb don't you? Well it isn't going to work and I'm going to win okay!?"

He frowns with his head down reluctantly getting into a fighting pose. It's a narrow alley almost to the main fighting area. Before I can help her however she dashes past him then dashes back and kicks him then adds magical blue light to her left hand so she can put more power into her uppercut without hurting her hand on his jaw.

"Good thing this isn't real!" I thought, since no one actually gets hurt in these. Like dad said it's like a shared dream.

We run forward past some palm trees in the courtyard and that chicken from before has a human boy by the leg and tips him over and uses his fall to make him go even faster after flipping him. Before we can engage him he runs away.

Abby puts her arm in front of me and says, "Wait, it's probably a trap."

it could be a trap. We then see Denise bragging on a rooftop to herself about how amazing she is for beating whoever it was she beat. We go up the stairs onto the roof and engage Denise, "So we're finally gonna fight I've been waiting for this moment!" She says with an evil grin.

We are attacked from behind by two of her friends. Abby says with a shocked expression, "I don't even... you're so done!" We are fighting a 3v1 and Denise is blocking all of my blows. I try exploding an illusion behind her but she knows and rolls through her shield.

Abby tells me, "That thing must waste a lot of magical stamina, she's so fat we have to outlast her!"

Denise says back, "Ha yeah like I'd let that happen!"

I slyly smile and tell her, " Abby is so good you'll see!"

Abby and I try attacking her but her friends got in the way and are wearing us down too much. We could try going after her, I so can't stand her! I've been doing okay so far but Denise has been making some friends here. Who knows what lies she told about me. I hope Evie is doing okay, what would she do if she were here? That minotaur's parakeet green shirt matches his eyes so well, but he's working for Denise and if he's this far into the free for all he must be quite good.

Maybe it's time we focus on one of her friends. I look over to Abby, "You're the martial arts expert, what do you recommend? I think focusing on her friends is our best idea so far."

Abby tells me, "Focus on the strong minotaur guy she's with. If we attack Denise directly we'll be in too deep and fight more than we can handle. Denise will attack us so..."

Abby shrugs, "Yeah, just avoid her blasts and try bursting him. Let's float up to the second floor balcony, using the archways as cover."

Abby spin kicks then I blast him with rapid energy beams while floating.

He rolls forward, lifts Abby, tosses her off the roof but Evie saves her. "I'm here!"

She spins in the air floating and I tell her, "Thanks Evie but can we please focus!"

"Oh right, sorry."

She then throws a ball of energy that hits the minotaur hard and he's staggered. I summon an illusion and it shatters against him then Abby glows sky blue, uppercuts him, then jumps forward then kicks him behind his knees knocking him off his feet.

I tell my squad, "Denise can't be far from us let's go!"

Evie points down an alley, "Wait Ronnie is in trouble!"

She points us to her fighting a wolf boy and he defeats her. The next round starts. It's getting so scary now. Will I have what it takes and find and help my friends? Sigh, if only I was there to save her, and we didn't even reach Denise.

We are like all way spread out now in this big arena meant for a hundred people, now I have more space so trying to hide won't make me run into someone that also wants an elimination, but that of course is still possible. I see the wolf boy, he's been working with the chicken from what I've seen.

Nessa says, "Too bad about my sister, I really wanted to make it to finals with her!"

And oh my gosh that Tiger guy is slaying it so hard! Seriously you like have no idea!"

I look down at my cheer shoes, place my hand on Nessa's shoulder, and tell her, "Sorry about your sister."

"Don't worry about it Ying, we're all here for fun at the end of the day we're all still a squad! Oh, we should seriously find Evie as much as I hate Denise like you do she's really on fire! I can't stand her either Ying."

Well Nessa does have a point, it is about having fun and working together. We run past a corner and see a girl. I get her in a chokehold and Evie kicks and punches her so fast so much. She's defeated.

Evie finds us. She waves and yells, "Hi girls! The squads together!"

Evie huddles with us, "So how are we doing this? Nessa would you like to be the bait for the wolf boy?"

Nessa agrees.

I say, "Sounds good! Remember the stunts we practiced for this tournament?"

Evie's face lights up, "Yeah! Okay girls you two will be my bases. Oooh he's coming go go go!"

I hear him and kinda flinch. Who knows just how good he'll be?

Evie looks into my eyes jumping from one foot to the next. "Ooooh there he is! He's so done!"

She fights him and moves back, I'm resting against a red wall so he can't see me.

I leap out and yell, "Surprise!"

He fiercely tries clawing at me but I confuse him by changing positions with my illusions while shooting him with magic.

Evie nods to me then Nessa and I get into position. Evie front handsprings into a pike kicking him as she glows azure. He gets up, I duck his claws but Nessa got kicked in the stomach. I heal her, but every bit of magic counts. Evie mounts and does the scorpion and we toss her I'm not a base so I hope I'm doing okay. She toe touches at the toss's peak then twists magically launching herself at him. The wolf boy is so done.

"Without magic he can only go so far." I tell Nessa.

Tiger is looking at us from the roof rubbing his eyebrows silently watching us.

I feel a slight dizziness and he and Evie glare at each other, but the two nod in silent agreement as if to say we will settle things later. I feel something grabbing me but I panic and teleport away, it destroys my illusion but she quickly grabs Nessa. She's a crow person so she has gorgeous lapis, emerald, and violet feather tints, her hood and outfit coordinating quite nicely with those natural feather tints. Those colors remind me of one of my mother's favorite dresses, black with lapis, emerald, and violet tints, somehow complimenting her garnet red hair. She does like crows after all so it kinda makes sense.

She flies far away from us so she drops her from high, but her floating down takes up so much of her magical stamina. Evie is throwing magical energy at her but the crow girl then keeps diving at Nessa while clawing her.

Evie and I run forward but Nessa is eliminated. "Noooooo whyyyyy!" I yell.

Evie says, "Ha! Like we'd lose to the likes of you! We're still in it like you are so outnumbered!"

"Ha you're so full of yourself! Yeah I've been watching you! I'm Mackenzie by the way and Denise said to say hi! "

We are fighting Mackenzie and she can move so fast in the air. If only Abby were here but she's probably fighting someone else now.

Evie is suddenly glowing sangria? I look up and notice Mackenzie using magic to teleport her!

Evie is struggling to break free, and she suddenly falls through a black circle! No eliminations were announced so I know she has to be here somewhere.

I run past some palms and houses and find Evie punching Mackenzie. She teleports up and elbows her but Mackenzie stays airborne fighting back.

Suddenly, Denise jumps out of the bushes and throws a big black ball out pulling Evie in. Looks like her forbidden magic and it reminds me of Seris's legendary spells from those old books of legend. Looks quite scary, everything is warping and 1's and 0's randomly appear. I won't stand by watching my friend get eliminated! I leap between the spell and beam. I'm so gassed.

Denise tries hitting me while I'm on the ground but I roll out of the way, but she hits me with an energy blast.

Evie drops to the ground on her knees froggy style. I look up into her eyes, my hand in hers with a tear going down her cheek. "Thank you, bestie."


	7. Chapter 7: The Final 10

Even though I'm eliminated I'm kinda glad Evie gets to advance. Even if she doesn't win this we'll have a stronger friendship than ever before!

I find Ronnie and Nessa in the audience seats. "Well that was fun wasn't it?"

"Actually it was."

Nessa says. "Winning would actually be nice." I can tell she feels kinda hurt.

She continued, "How about that weird spell huh? The audience except for Denise's parents had a way shocked look on their faces. Yeah that magic was so weird! Reminds me of those evil fairytale character's spells."

"Listen...we'd save you if we could. I feel like some food will cheer us up! Is it a plan girls?"

I walk with Ronnie with my head down in shame. I look up with a sad and defeated look to Strix. "Hi, I'll have some ice cream please."

"Hey cheer up you did great! I saw you with this tablet and you made some mistakes but you are just a kid."

I meanly glare at him, telling him with my eyes that he offended me.

"I mean...a young lady who has friends that love her no matter how she does in some tournament!"

"Thanks Strix." Ronnie and I sit with Nessa again then we look at our tablets.

I switch to Sha Lin's perspective, "I believe in you!" I whisper to myself, but he's hiding in the bushes.

"I need to find Pip!"

I switch to Pip's perspective. "Wow I need to find my brother so badly! It's our teamwork that got me this far!"

"Oh foxboy!" Oh great here's that...crow.

"You are so done!" She punches him with her wings then he leaps a few times with his magic. He is quick but...

Nessa says in a giggling tone, "Pip is outclassed like so hard!"

Ronnie replies, "Yeah her flight and magic just...still I'm surprised he even got this far!"

She shoots many big bright and thin sangria circles that rush through Pip defeating him.

We wait for him but he doesn't show up, I see him walking out of the arena with a slumping posture and head hanging down in shame. I honestly kinda feel bad.

My view switches to a mauve furred kangaroo wearing a dark brown leather jacket and three sided hat.

She tells Eduardo. "It's impressive a muggle such as yourself got this far! But it's over for you, no hard feelings little boy but I'm destined to win this!"

He widens his stance, places one of his little yellow wings up with the other back ready to strike, "Bring it on Trisha!" He says back with enthusiasm.

The kangaroo jumps back, uses her tail as a spring after bouncing backward and uses magic for further push.

Instead of kicking him in the face because let's face it that'd be a mistake against that little chicken with his technique and reflexes she goes above him, bounces off another house, then passes him with a cyan blue light passing through him. He's now slower with less energy so she boxes him. He blocks many of her blows, even gets one in himself.

Trisha says, "Not bad Eduardo! But only one of us can use magic and she also isn't tired."

She swings her tail knowing he'd try countering, but she throws him against the wall then bounces with her tail and kick him.

"Good fight."

Her hand meets his wing for a handshake, then he disappears. I watch as he comes out the door, looking up with a smile clearly proud of getting as far as he did. He sits with his wolf friend who is kinda sitting slumpy, not even watching his tablet.

Now I'm watching from Abby's view.

Kinessa's little brother, Bill, with the short spikey blonde hair and Kinessa's little brother yells to her "You're strong let's fight!"

She lightly laughs going into her stance, "Okay I'm ready!"

He uses up too much energy and Abby grabs his wrist turning his back to her and she pushes him. She rushes forward and bicycle kicks a light blue energy at him knocking him down again. He gets up with even more energy, she's even moving back a little, but she has a very small opening she uses to jumping uppercut him. While his back is on the floor Abby leaps up and with her strong left hand glowing with a sky blue magic finishes him off with a punch to the face.

I watch the boy leave the game room still looking excited. "That was fun I wanna fight again!"

He eagerly looks around but his sister Kinessa comes to get him.

"That's enough fighting for you today. You did so great congratulations!"

Ashe says to him, "I know right listen to your sister you were amazing out there!"

Ashe and Kinessa hold hands walking Kinessa's brother back to their parents.

They resetted again and it switches to Tiger's view, I click on Sha Lin but he's still running around looking for a fight, so I switch back to Tiger who looks like he found Trisha.

Trisha is a mauve furred kangaroo person wearing a dark brown leather pirate coat and hat.

This is the most intense fight I've seen all day so far! The fist and feet are fast and they are bouncing off the walls and trees like soooo much! Tiger's claws have a crimson red energy fitting for his orange and black fur while Trisha's fists have a lavender energy, fitting for her mauve fur.

Nessa says sounding like she's enjoying herself.

"Wow pirates are fierce!"

I say agreeing with her, "I know right!"

The two are high enough in the air where they actually crash against the sky. Their energy blasts are pushing against each other, but Trisha flips over Tiger but Tiger turns around but before he can grab her tail she slaps him with it.

"I have a feeling Tiger has this." Ronnie says, sipping her soda.

Tiger casts a smoke bomb spell leaving Trisha confused.

"I can't sense him!"

But I can. He's going to leap out the window to her right when her back is turned looking for him. He leaps out the window attacking with lightning fast martial arts, and she's eliminated.

She shrugs, but pouts a little. She knows she was so close to winning but knows that it isn't everything despite her slight disappointment. I go back to the food stand and meet her. "You did well against Tiger!"

"I know I have a chance to beat him, I'm not mad at him...just disappointed in myself a little."

I invite Ronnie and Nessa to sit with us and Eduardo.

I mention, "I wonder where Denise was in all this?"

Eduardo says, "I checked her actually, she's hiding in some building.."

Everyone respawns and I'm looking from Sha Lin's view. After so much walking he sees Denise. She blows him a kiss sarcastically but he rushes at her.

She winks and flirtily tells Sha Lin. "Hey you hottie!"

"We can work together you know!"

"No! You hurt my friends and cast a spell to make me like you!"

"But baby you're so cute!"

"Why...why do you have to be so mean to Ying!"

"Because that goodie two shoes has everything I want!"

"I can't work with a bully, sorry!"

"If you won't work with me then" she quickly uppercuts him, he is on the floor but seafoam green energy is forming near his fists. He repeatedly hits her, roundhouse kicks her, but doesn't seem fazed. He leap kicks but she quickly puts up a shield he crashes into.

"I promise on Ying's honor that I will defeat you! You cannot win for I have someone to fight for!" He says while Denise is backing up into a small alley.

"Oh I know! But I'm stronger and far better magically! Our fighting technique is otherwise even."

Sha Lin leans forward with a raised chin tells her, "No matter what you say I swear I will avenge everyone you have ever bullied!"

Denise rolls her eyes with contempt, "How cute you think you're a hero! I can't believe I actually liked you gosh I swear you're just a skater loser!"

Sha Lin jumps firing a magic blast but Denise rolls out of the way firing one back crumbling the wall behind Sha Lin. He then comes back she blocks a lot of punches and kicks, but they each get a few in on each other. She's tired so she recovers.

I tell the others what I see, "Oh my gosh Sha Lin might actually win!"

Pip sighs, "It can still go either way. Come on brother please!"

He makes a skateboard out of magic and tries going down a half pipe and he propels himself farther and he moves his legs, hitting her with the skateboard in mid air.

She falls but has an evil grin. A big yellow beam hits Sha Lin from behind knocking him on his knees.

"It was nice knowing you." She does a jumping spinning uppercut, and she kisses his hand just before he vanishes.

Sha Lin is seen leaving the room with his face covered and his shoulders slumped. I walk over and tell him, "You did great! I know you tried but don't feel bad..."

"Stay away from me!" He says crying. "You don't need to be near such a loser!"

"But Sha Lin I..." I try resting my hand on his shoulder but he yells, "Don't touch me!" and runs away, again.

I try going after him but Pip grabs my wrist telling me, "He's hurt right now, just leave him alone with his diary."

I switch to Denise's view. She found that terrible crow Mackenzie and they hug.

Denise says, "Hey friend! Remember our plan, if you see Evie or Abby lead them to me, I'll be hiding up here waiting to surprise them. Abby is like the best at martial arts ever and uses magic to make herself faster and hit harder but her magical abilities are worse than ours so try keeping your distance from her if you can okay?"

Mackenzie asked her, "But what about Evie?"

Denise has that remembering look on her face, "Oh yeah! And Evie is way better at magic than her but doesn't have her speed or karate skills. Both are equally dangerous but in different ways and both are like way impulsive."

Mackenzie then asks about Tiger.

Denise says, "Don't even try fighting him, try luring him to me so we could fight him together. He has a weretiger form and when he goes into it I can use my eldritch spell. Oh mom and I spent so much time reverse engineering one of Seris's spells so I can do that!"

Mackenzie looks shook, "Aaahhh! No way!"

Two minutes have passed and Nessa comes over and shows me her tablet of Abby chasing Mackenzie.

"She's doing like so good!"

Nessa smiles getting excited over Abby punching her. On the screen Mackenzie's right wing is firing her sanguine rings even faster than I last saw her, and flies around Abby but she dashes forward kicking Mackenzie in her beak then elbowing the back of her head.

Abby tells her "You really think you're so hot don't you? You were a jerk to my friends so I don't like you okay!"

Mackenzie blocks a punch and backwings Abby knocking her down and runs away.

Abby chases her to the edge of the arena and Denise is on top of a building waiting for her. Denise fires a sneak attack at Abby, it's that same energy! Abby is stuck but Evie helps her.

"Don't worry Abby I'm coming!"

Abby is taking such a beating from Denise and Mackenzie, but the gravity spell wears off.

Abby is breathing hard and on her knees, but she gets up then flying uppercuts Mackenzie while saying, "This is for my friends!"

Denise explodes a black energy ball that creates a warpey effect near it with 1's and 0's while Evie throws a magical beam at Mackenzie. Abby and Mackenzie were weakened quite badly so it's a double elimination. It's like a whole different type of magic!

Mackenzie steps out glaring at the audience, then she walks down the hallway sitting under the staircase while I wave to Abby who looks kinda sad. Her brows fiercely came together and mouth tightened. She lets out a big huff then stomps forward with her fists pointing down a bit behind her.

I walk over to greet her but she knocks my cup of well done fries out of my hand and storms off. Abby and boys really don't take losing well.

I call out to her, "Abby wait!" She storms off further down the hall, huffs, then slows down.

I catch up to her and after she breathes a loud huff she unslumps her shoulders, and a single tear runs down her cheek.

I ask, "What's wrong Abby?"

Abby asked, "Can I walk with you?"

"Of course you can! Cheer up you did great! Don't worry about the fries."

Abby sobs a little. "No I didn't I'm like so terrible at this!"

"You made it farther than I did!"

Abby tells me, "So what I still failed okay!?"

I look into her eyes seeing her pain. "I'm going to ignore your tone it's so obvious you feel bad."

I sigh and put my hand on her shoulder, "I know you're sad so may I buy you an ice cream?"

She seems uncomfortable with my offer because she's looking away from me crossing her arms.

"Come on Abby let me help you! Evie, Ronnie, Nessa and I are all here for you!"

She nods her head yes and she's crying.

Abby looks down and says, "I'm sorry but I really wanted to win."

I try giving her a hug but then she flinched so I back away, "Everything will be fine! Hey and it was fun wasn't it?"

Abby nods yes agreeing with me. But then she says, "I did everything right! I mean how could I possibly lose?"

I smile and tell her, "Abby stop worrying so much! We're still your friends okay! No one is going to remember you losing! Besides you eliminated that dumb Mackenzie!"

Abby says. "I have so much trouble against flying targets and it was mostly Evie who eliminated her!"

Abby then tells me, "Sorry for being mean I know you mean well. So I didn't let you down?"

I tell her, "It's okay Abby no you didn't let me down I'm proud of you! You're so brave and a wonderful friend! You shouldn't blame yourself."

She says, "I should have known I was being trapped."

Strix gives Abby a chocolate ice cream cone with orange sherbet and chocolate sprinkles.

The fighters reset their positions. Denise is in the final three and it makes me nautious! Please don't let her win.

I watch, switch to Evie's view, but she's going in and out of houses and the castle, but Tiger and Denise are about to fight on the other side of the map.

"You ready?" Tiger says so sure of himself.

"Try me!" Denise responds with a mean glare and confident smirk. The two very quickly exchange blows, and Tiger's fists are now starting to glow red.

Denise then knees him in the stomach getting him down, but he angrily gets up and uses a smoke bomb spell, but Denise predicts his direction from hearing him and he crashes into Denise's force field. The two are kinda even but Denise gets the upper hand this time.

"Had enough kitten? I swear ninjas and pirates are so lame!" His eyes glow red, he shakes, and turns into a weretiger! He bounces off the wall of a house then quickly tries pounces on her but she summons a floating black ball pulling Tiger towards it because she predicted where he would go.

She smirks, "You're finished."

Huh it's back to normal now but wow that was strange!

Tiger uses a smoke spell and dashes up one of the campus buildings. She doesn't know where he is but he pounces on her and repeatedly punches her, but she elbow blocks many punches. They are rolling on the ground together punching and kneeing each other.

Denise then spins Tiger upside down with her mind, slowly walking away from Tiger and the black ball, and says proudly, "I learned this from one of Seris's scrolls! As you can tell I so love reading the classics!"

Oh my gosh is that Evie!? "Looks like you're having trouble, allow me!" She blasts Denise with a quick energy beam, teleports over Denise, does a back handspring into a backflip then kicks her on the butt.

She's on her knees and Evie elbows her. Denise exchanges magical for physical energy and she seems to be holding her own with Evie but Evie dodges her attacks instead of blocking them, and Tiger is attacking her from the other side.

Denise uses the last of her magical energy to weaken Tiger and Evie so much but the risky eldritch move is all she has left. I'm like so nervous right now you have no idea! The lime green, black, and purple energies look like they tear the air around it and...some tubes with strange boards? Anyway 1's and 0's go over the hole and erase it making it back to normal. Evie and Tiger were warping so badly and they looked like they were going to just vanish. The audience also looks quite startled.

If these are spells made weaker on purpose so Denise could use them imagine how scary the real thing Seris used is? Denise may be a magical prodigy but...oh my gosh she's going to reach a level someday where she can use the original spell!

She blocks an attack from Tiger then raises her knee to block a kick from Evie. She ducks and Evie and Tiger hit each other. Denise punches Evie while sitting on her but Tiger pounces on Denise and they roll. Tiger nods to Evie, steps aside, and allows Evie to finish her with her freeze spell, blinks above her, then she gushes blue energy onto her head. She blasts an azure energy beam then rushes through it by tumbling in the air, doing a front handspring into a full twisting double pike as she's glowing. Her momentum finishing off Denise.

The crowd is cheering quite loudly. I can tell Denise is filled with hate and bitterness because of the way her eyes squint and her big huff. Apparently eliminating most of my friends and me wasn't enough for her. They look at her while booing, since I feel like they just know she's a bully.

My dad stands next to me waiting for Denise to walk past us. He tells her, "Here comes our fallen rival!" Denise puts up her hand in front of my dad saying I'm so done with you people with the gesture.

Ronnie says to me, "It looks like it's going to be Tiger vs. Evie!"

I eagerly say back, "I know right! I can't wait to see Evie win this guy!"

Pip sits back, smiling confidently, "She isn't gonna lose, she hates losing more than anything even more than she hates me!"

Sha Lin tells him, "Oh she doesn't hate you but you do annoy her sometimes."

Pip shrugs and says, "What can I say it's fun!"

Nessa notices, "I didn't see you in line for that ice cream!" Pip shyly smiles. I roll my eyes, that's Pip for you.

Abby says, "What about Tiger's weretiger form? No offense but Evie is so going to have trouble!"

Tiger's dad walks over, "Arrrgggg ye landlovers of course it isn't! Some of my pirates and I have trained Tiger to be as great as he is arrrr! He is still 12 so his technique be unpolished but he already knows how to control that weretiger form!"

I ask him, "So Captain, how did you meet Tiger?"

With a foot on a seat he leans forward, grabs his soda, takes a sip and says, "There I be a 19 year old pirate captain leading a raid on a town far away from here! His parents were dead and I find a little newborn crying. I felt bad for the wee little one it was like so sad you seriously have no idea so I took him in as one of me own arrrrgggg!"

His cowboy friend joins in the conversation, his eyes squinting. "We have been exploring the world for so long and on our journeys we found that something just ain't right with this world! We don't know what but something seems strange!

We've been looking into these weird places, we even found golems that move on their own without even a hint of magic!"

Sha Lin walks to us, his eyes looking down in embarrassment, "That last round was like so good! Too bad I wasn't part of it, may I have a sip sir?

Tiger's dad's cowboy friend's eyes light up as he smiles, "Of course you can! You did great!"

"Thank you."

The pirate captain says to him, "You aren't here to give us your opinion on that last round I think you be wanting to tell us something?"

Sha Lin exhales, looks at us, and with relief tells us, "I just really wanted to avenge you, you probably think I'm a total loser now!"

"No I don't Sha Lin! Why are you afraid I'll stop talking to you if you lose? It was very noble of you wanting to defend my honor and that of everyone else. I'll share my well done fries with you!"

"Thanks Ying."

Ronnie excitedly interrupts, "Ooooh are you two gonna kiss? That's so romantic!"

Sha Lin and I are uncomfortable with Ronnie and we glare at her. "Aww you know it's true!" She giggles at us.

My dad announces the final two as they walk to the center of the arena. "Ladies and gentlemen this is your king Julian announcing the finalists of this awesome tournament! We have the amazingly talented 6th grade elementary entering middle school cheerleading captain Evie!

And here we have the incredible 6th grade ninja pirate who can turn into a ferocious weretiger! This is one fight that can go either way you don't wanna miss!"

I look at my tablet and see Tiger's brows draw together glaring at Evie with a smile showing a will to win and Evie kinda shows the same expression but with a mean smile.

The simulation for the past 20 rounds was at night so they're in a village simulating a moonlit night. Evie opens with a blink while Tiger rushes where she was. They turn facing each other and Tiger dodges many of Evie's magical blasts but one connects then he smoke bombs.

He pounces at her from a palm tree and their fists are glowing, Evie's a medium dark blue and Tiger's a bright red. Evie gets in a strong left hook and is keeping up the pace, she inward crescent kicks with her left then roundhouse kicks with her right then sweeps him off his feet.

Cats are even more dangerous on their backs, so I know where's she's going. I can see they're both nervous, whoever loses here will have the easiest to remember loss and that makes them scared of being embarrassed. She glows a bright Azure blue tumbling towards him with aerials and after the final rebound starts a flying kick.

She then gives Tiger a strong jumping spinning uppercut and uses a strong blue energy beam to hit him like so hard.

He gets up, wiping his mouth with his pirate jacket sleeve, and says, "That was so good but I'm not done yet!"

The two keep fighting but this time Tiger does better, once Evie is staggered Tiger glows red bounces off the building's wall then pounces on her. She dashes forward then elbows the back of his head.

Evie enthusiastically says, "This is so fun isn't it?"

"You're doing so well! But I'm so gonna take this!" Tiger's body shakes as he glows a bright crimson red. The red energy swirls into him, his muscles grow, and he gets taller. He is back into his weretiger form. Evie looks kinda confident and rolls her eyes at him.

Her right foot is far in front of her left, she's kinda squatting down, and her hands are kinda loose in a crane position. She's ready to react to the weretiger.

He springs like way fast like he's floating and she teleport blinks then does a flip into a salto hitting him in the face and he comes back again to hit her over and over. She blocks a hit then quickly sweeps.

I look over to Sha Lin, nervously telling him, "She's running out of magic!"

He faces me then says, "Don't worry Evie is gonna totally dunk on this guy!"

The pirate captain leaning back with his arms behind his head smugly replying, "Arrrrggg we be seeing about that har har har!"

Even against the weretiger Evie seems to be doing okay, she leaps fast off a building, magically propels herself kicking into him. Despite being a cat with enhanced reflexes and abilities he couldn't stop the kick. She stops glowing.

Tiger grins confidently cracking his knuckles. He turns into a weretiger again, rushes at her, she blocks more attacks, even gets him down again with an uppercut then a roundhouse. Tiger leaps high, spinning in the air, and with the full force of his claws just miss Evie. She looks down at her feet letting out a light sigh.

As Tiger gets up and does his ninja smoke spell Evie blinks up, says, "Aaaachhooo!" and uses her slowdown circle spell.

The smoke is clear and he's just about to stop slowing so she performs amazing tumbling techniques by dashing forward doing some aerials, she kicks him, teleports above him. Then she throws a powerful medium magical ball at him, kicks off a coniferous tree, they charge at each other and Evie does a twisting kick just inches above the ground.

Evie's surrounded by an azure blue energy as she goes like way fast. After the spinning kick trips Tigger she does a bicycle kick kicking him into the air and sticking to him. He loudly thuds as he falls.

Tiger then rushes at her, she dodges his claws, she gets hit a few times and is like so gassed.

Tiger smiles, his smile and glowing red eyes radiating confidence, "Looks like I figured you out girl!"

Evie smiles, "Ha! That's what you think!"

She jabs him, elbows him, knees just under his chest, aerials over his head then fires a powerful blue beam.

Tiger is panting lying on the ground. He rolls over and looks up at Evie extending his hand and smiles, "Wow Evie you are such an amazing fighter!"

Evie closes her eyes and says, "Aww! No I'm not!"

Tiger then giggles as he fades, but you're the last one standing!

After he fades away Evie blushes not in a crushed out way but a I really like your praise way and says, "Well I guess I am incredible!"

My father announces, "And the winner of this year's tournament for the victory royale is...Evie!"

The pirate captain's jaw is hanging low as his eyes are wide. He looks so shocked!


	8. Chapter 8: Let's Celebrate!

The door to the competition room slams behind Tiger, who shrugs then smiles. He looks like he was just happy to have fun. Good for him!

I see Evie leave the simulation and I smile rushing towards her giving her a big hug!

"I'm so happy you won Evie congratulations!"

She turns her head kinda blushing, "Aww thank you! You know I wouldn't get that far without you right?"

I say back, "Thanks! But seriously you were amazing Evie!"

"Aww, I don't deserve your praise. Hey, let me get you something to eat! Strix brought enough food to last like way long!"

Evie nods and her face brightens, "Thank you Ying! You have no idea how hungry I am right now!"

The lines are long, but I smile and surprise Evie. "At least you'll be waiting with your bestie!" Evie looks so happy to see us! She gives me a big hug.

People in line are staring at us. I'm so uncomfortable.

"Hey there's the winner!"

People in line are cheering us. I hear kids from our school yelling to us, "Great job Evie!"

"I go to school with her!"

"She's my squad captain!"

I kinda feel warm in a good way and my hands are tingling. "Thanks Evie! We all got far together! Too bad we all got separated tho.

One corner of Evie's mouth goes up as she says, "Yeah I guess they wanted us to earn our teamwork."

Abby tells Evie, "You did great! I can't believe we all somehow kept finding each other, especially Sha Lin and Pip."

Tiger approaches and says, "You did great Abby! No hard feelings..."

She crosses her arms, pouts, and turns her back to him.

She sighs, turns around, then says, "It's okay it isn't your fault. At least my friend Evie won."

Sha Lin tells him, "She doesn't take loss very well unlike me of course. Denise got lucky against me."

Nessa and Evie look at each other, roll their eyes, and have smirks that say, "really?"

Tiger then continues, "I thought fer sure I was gonna win! I'm still disappointed I didn't get first but I feel like I learned so much from Evie's strategic skill."

Eduardo adjusts his glasses, looks up at her and says, "I may be a mundane but from what I saw you used magic too much."

His wolf friend Andrew replied, "Please now isn't the time."

Evie then says. "Aww thanks everyone I don't deserve your praise! Uggh this is taking so long!" That's our Evie, still impatient.

To be fair we were in line for like two minutes.

It's Tiger's turn for ordering. "You did amazing Tiger! Like just how does a 12 year old learn how to control or even stay in that form for so long?"

Tiger smiles, runs his short furry fingers through the top of his head hair, resting his elbow on the table and tells him, "Just my talent or whatever. Nah but seriously my dude I needed to train a lot to control it."

He faces Captain and Cowboy, "Those guys helped me so much too. I'll have a beef burrito with cheese, avocado, and sriracha please!"

Strix smiles and responds, "You got it! Say all the best are near each other how about that!" Sha Lin, Pip, Trisha, Evie, Tiger, and Abby all look at each other and smile in agreement.

When it's our turn Strix looks down at Abby with pity. "You did great little girl! Too bad about your sadness earlier. Have anything you want on me!"

She looks up at Strix thanking him.

Evie rest an elbow on the table, flips one of her pigtails, and orders well done fries and a burger with chipotle sauce and peppers.

Strix tells her, "Looks like the champion has excellent taste and quite an appetite!"

Denise bitterly grins whispering to her bully squad and Mackenzie. "How did such a pig become cheer captain and actually win this?"

If you knew her like I do then you'd know she doesn't actually finish most of it and she mostly eats healthy if you must know.

Abby quietly says to me, "Ying, will you walk with me?"

I gently brush her sleeve as her tone says she's sad and worried. "Of course I will Abby!"

We walk down a hall but still visible from the auditorium. The candles on the walls comfort us with their soft glow.

One of the bullies we eliminated in the first round yells to Abby, "Ha ha loser!"

Abby puts her hands over her face.

I tell her, "You did way better than those creeps!"

Trisha stares down at them. She is a kangaroo humanoid and breaths out her nose moving her tail tip kinda fast back and forth.

"Uh oh!" The mean kids run away.

"Don't worry Abby we have a surprise for you!"

Abby looks like she's starting to feel better.

She has a small smile and soft glowing eyes and exclaims. "I can't wait!"

I admire how independent she is. She usually isn't so sad or this bad of a loser. Maybe she's feeling this bad because of how public the loss is or how close she was to winning?

I rush over to Ronnie, Nessa, and Evie and we think together planning to cheer up Abby.

I tell my friends. "Hey...umm...my friend Abby is kinda sad, should we do a cheering routine?"

Evie's face lights up, "Oh my gosh YES!"

Nessa says, "I'll get our rabbit friend to act as our fourth base."

So the four of us modify a cheer for Abby and with pom poms cheer, "Who rocks the house Abby rocks the house! When Abby rocks the house she rocks it all the way down!"

Ronnie and Nessa lift Evie and she does a scorpion and I'm the front base. She then rolls down then does a salto and finishes into an X jump. We then ask another if she'd like to join us. We form a pyramid with Ronnie Nessa and the other girl on the bottom, Me and rabbit in the middle and Evie on top.

The fox joins us, Nessa lifts Evie and I, and we do a whirlybird. Ronnie lifts the Rabbit and Fox and they also do a whirlybird as we sing we love Abby.

Abby smiles and says, "Thank you so much!"

We then hear an argument between Mia and the pirate captain. There's just something really scary about her!

Mia angrily says to him, "Oh I know who you are! You're the jerk that killed Roy aren't you!"

He sips his soda and says, "Arrrrgggh so what about it? People like him are a blight upon society! He just had to go arrrrgggghh!"

Mia with conceit in her eyes claps back, "Who do you think you are? He wasn't some sea rat he was one of my top executives!"

The captain then roast her good, "Sea rat...arrrrgggghhh keep it classy lassy!"

Abby then whispers in my ear, "His voice...sounds familiar! He saved me from the monster when I was 6!"

I gasp, "You were attacked by a monster! Does it still bother you?"

Abby rests her head on her knees with her arms around it.

"Abby?"

"I don't want to talk about it."

I stop myself from putting my hand on her back, "I'm so sorry. It's so unfortunate that you ran into one like that!"

Abby then looks up at me and smiles, "At least he saved me. Ever since that day I strove to be more independent and to never let others down."

Abby's martial arts master approaches us. He is wearing a plum purple gi and looks so old. Abby told me he's 80.

He kneels down and tells her, "You didn't fail anyone Abby. Remember, do not see losses as 'failures', but as lessons okay!?"

Abby nods to him and says, "I know sensei."

I tell everyone, "Let's find somewhere to sit they're announcing awards!"

We sit down and the lights dim. The curtains come up and my father is announcing things.

"Well that looked like fun! I hope everyone enjoyed themselves today because we have decided to show you guys the best scenes from this tournament!"

He points the wand at the screen and it shows the beginning of the tournament looking nothing like where I started.

The view shows above a snake boy and Trisha.

The snakeboy says to her, "So they put they put the weakest ones against the ones they think are the best huh? You are such an unlucky mauve kangaroo then!" His tongue flickers and eyes shrink while cracking his knuckles.

He awkwardly lunges at her but she steps out of the way then trips him with her tail, "Oi! Looks like you're one of the worst at this thing!" The snakeboy disappears.

My dad is laughing. "If you thought that was good check this out!"

A goblin girl and human boy are going to fight Andrew and Eduardo.

The boy cracks his knuckles meanly glaring at them. The girl's smile is so vicious and overconfident.

The girl says to them, "Muggles huh?"

She rolls her eyes, "Ugh, why did you guys even bother showing up I swear! It's seeded too so we'll just eliminate you so you could buy food to cry yourselves into."

The chicken looks calm and composed. The goblin Is failing so hard lifting them with her mind while the boy throws weak fireballs.

"Why won't you guys just...get eliminated already!"

Andrew jumps to the boy's right and kicks his stomach and uppercuts him while he's leaning while Eduardo isn't even effected by the goblin's telekinesis attempts except his soft yellow feathers kinda bristle in the gentle breeze. He judo throws her and when she's getting him he karate chops her.

My dad then continues, "Now that was something!"

Here's another interesting best moment.

He shows the boy in the chartreuse coat magically setting up a trap in the door.

He throws out some light ki blasts luring some contestants. They statically stop and he summons two bright squares and they crash into each other with the three kids stuck in the trap.

Dad then stops the clip, claps his hands and says, "Now here's a good one!"

It's Evie and I beating up that group from earlier.

Then 3 Cougars doing stunts and tumbling skills eliminating other people. They aren't nearly as good as our team of course.

The next clip features Abby.

She asked a scorpion humanoid girl, "Are you the best?"

The scorpion of course answered, "Of course!"

Abby confidently replied, with a glimmer in her eye, a playful grin, and her hands on her hips, "Then why are you going to lose?"

Abby does a Jumping spinning uppercut to her and she jumps backwards a bit in the air then dive flying kicks her while she glows a pleasant cornflower blue.

Dad so thinks that was cool and what can I say? I agree with him.

Then a big muscular green orc wearing a navy blue tank top and gym shorts is shown.

He boxes a few other people, uppercutting one then slamming the ground near another. His uppercut is like so nasty! He even throws in some energy blasts.

The next clip is him struggling against Mackenzie. He tries hitting her, but she's a natural flyer so he's struggling to keep in the air with her. Because she doesn't need magic to fly she can still use her magic just for fighting. She dodges his attacks, he gets worn out, and the orc can't dodge the sangria circles. Then she dives in and finishes him off with wing strikes and then kicks him with her talon.

Then it shows Sha Lin struggling verse a rabbit girl in purple overalls.

She tells him, "So have you had enough yet? Hiya! Come on chase me...if you can!"

She kicks him in the stomach then trips him, and keeps blocking his punches. Sha Lin chases her but he runs over a magical mine she placed, just before she finishes him off Pip comes to the rescue and throws him a magical healing ball. Sha Lin puts so much energy into a magical beam attack while Pip deflects it to the rabbit.

Evie is shown next and she fights a crocodile humanoid, elf, and spider girl. The spider is on the wall and tries leaping at her, but she cartwheels out of the way, blinks up, then fires a cold magical beam at her.

The elf and crocodile join her and Evie keeps her distance from them except for sometimes kicking or elbowing them sometimes. The elf and spider try a slowing spell, which hit but Evie then used her slowing ice magic to even her chances. She glows blue, dodging their hits with a round off, does two front handsprings then does a gardener during her aerial kicking the crocodile. She does another jump and spins with her legs split kicking everyone. She floats down, curtsies, and poses.

I whisper to Evie, "Oh my gosh Evie you're incredible!"

She sits up straight in her chair smiling. "Thanks Ying!"

Then they replay Ronnie and Nessa getting defeated, then me sacrificing myself, the Abby vs. kid fight, and finally Evie defeating Tiger.

Nessa looks at Ronnie, then they both look at me and Nessa says, "We did really well!"

Ronnie says back, "I know right! You don't have to feel bad about us not winning Ying because our Evie took it!"

Abby says, "Yeah! We had an exciting and magical experience today. And let's face it I was way more awesome than not!"

My father and the Omigoshies are ready to announce the prizes!

He lifts his head high and his voice booms across the theater.

"Well that was kinda fun watching! Anyway here are the top 3 prizes for the best teamwork! In third place we have...Ying, Ronnie, and Nessa!"

Oh my gosh we won something! Yay I feel so happy!"

"In second place we have Denise and Mackenzie!"

"Aaaaand the first place team is...Sha Lin and Pip!"

Everyone claps loudly for us.

"Even if teams aren't official we still recognize its value in helping you and your friends get ahead! Now for the single prizes! In 10th place we have Pip, 9th Eduardo, 8th Bill, 7th Trisha, 6th Sha Lin, 5th Mackenzie, 4th Abby, 3rd Denise, 2nd Tiger, and in first place the amazing and talented...Evie!

She smiles and blushes hardly containing her excitement.

We all take our medals, but Evie's face especially lights up so much. She has a gleam in her eyes and lifts her chin high, shoulders back, eagerly shakes the Omigoshies and my father's hands, and hops up and down fanning herself.

Evie announces, "I would like to thank my cheerleading squad! Well, 'most' of them anyway!"

She gives Denise a cold, mean look. "My friends and I have been working like so much to get this far and let me tell you all it was so worth it! I'd also like to thank my bestie Ying for sacrificing herself so I may win!"

I feel so warm, tingly, and shy with blood rushing to my cheeks.

Strix suddenly appears out of nowhere gosh Strix do you really have to startle us now of all times? Oh well that's just how he is.

He announces, "I have prizes for you!"

We gasp with happiness at the matcha ice cream, cookies with chocolate sprinkles, prickly pear ice cream, burritos, tacos, burgers, chicken sandwiches, and fries. Today is such a good day.

I look over to Abby, "So are you feeling better? I got 11th place, and honestly I'd rather give Evie the chance at getting first than Denise or Tiger getting it...I of course mean no offense to Tiger at all but there's no way I'd be able to get first myself so...yeah." I shrug.

Abby tells me, "Yeah I feel better, but if things went differently I'd so get first! Too bad about Denise and Mackenzie forcing either you or Evie out tho and that was so nice of you to help Evie like that!"

"Why thank you!"

The pirate captain walks over to us, "Arrrgh ye mateys be a talented bunch! Tiger wants to shake your hands!"

Tiger looks down at me, but in a you have my respect kinda way, "That was really big of you to save your friend."

He looks over to Evie, "Well, I hope to see you and your squad again Evie!"

She says with a cocky tone, "Oh don't you worry! As long as there are competitions I'll so be there!"

She then looks to me, "Seriously, I feel like we're all closer because of today."

My father says, "Alright kids, I've spoken to all your parents and you're all invited to sleep over the royal palace!"

Oh my gosh! Aaaaaahhhhh Sha Lin is coming over! Of course that means Pip too, but Abby, Ronnie, Nessa, Evie...we're going to play games, hang out at the beach, play truth or dare, maybe even sneak out and prank our neighbors! Wait, this isn't one of "those" nights.

Denise glares at us and meanly says. "Have fun doing each other's rat's nests you call your hair! If you ever need help getting over your bulimia let me know okay!"

She's only being mean to me because she's salty! "You know Denise if you ran like your mouth you'd be in great shape too!"

Everything has suddenly gotten so quiet, like time has slowed down. The awkwardness can be felt.

Denise smirks meanly and tells me. "Just remember you came in 11th and I only came in 3rd because that annoying wannabe witch and oversized kitten teamed verse me! When you have your little sleepover just remember how happy Sha Lin was with me!"

Her eyes narrow as she's slowly walking towards me as I back away.

"Remember this Ying, I know everything about you little girl! What you think, how you feel, and what makes you tick! You want love and acceptance, and I can keep it from you! I know you sacrificed yourself because you care more about being friends with Evie than you do winning! So I know you didn't really sacrifice so ha ha!"

She meanly smirks, my back against the wall and I'm feeling quite hurt. How can she think about me that way? Am I really a bad person who only pretends being nice so others can accept me?

She says in a nasty I know something you don't way. "You seek approval but I can refuse giving it to you and you can't stand it! I don't accept you Ying! Just face it little girl, you know as well as I do that I can see into your very soul! I've known you our entire lives. I'm telling everyone you're only that nice just so people like you! I should invite you to one of my parties just so you can see how many show up! You know more than anyone just how mean I can be! Did that stop them from wanting to be my friend? Did being mean stop Mackenzie from being my friend?"

Evie comes over puts her hand on my shoulder and says, "We should get going! She's just saying that because she's still mad at you."

We reach my house, Evie and Nessa pet our family carriage horses, and mom with her lovely Ylang Ylang Bergamot and Pink Pepper scent surprises us with a bowl of nachos with melted cheddar jack cheese and another bowl with dark chocolate almond candy bars.

"I thought you girls might like this."

Ronnie eagerly says, "Are you kidding Alyssa we love it!"

My room isn't exactly small, but it isn't exactly six people big so I get my sleeping bag out of my walk in closet and bring it into the living room, which easily gives all of us enough room. I excuse myself to grab every pillow and plushy I can throughout the house so I can put them in our fort.

Pip ask Strix where the attic is and Strix smirks and pets him on the head as he says, "Nice try."

We are sitting in a circle in the living room, the moonlight resting on our turquoise curtains, couch, and patterned wood floor. We listen to the ocean's waves and smell the pleasant seabreeze mixing with the usual jasmine. We can see the beach palms through our large windows, and the gorgeous stars twinkle off in the distance.

Pip magically creates a light under a fort they made with all of our couch cushions an a sheet, "Truth or dare?"

Nessa says, "Dare!"

"Okay...I dare you to...sneak up on Strix and touch him on the shoulder!"

Nessa nervously sighs, "Okay...here I go!"

Nessa tiptoes behind Strix, taps him, and he's startled so much. "Aaaahhh! Ronnie or Nessa that's so not funny!" I heard him giggle a little when he said that.

Oh come on Strix you know it is!

Evie the asks Sha Lin truth or dare after creating a light of her own. She snaps her fingers making a soft baby blue light.

Sha Lin has a mean smirk, "Dare!"

"Well Sha Lin...I dare you to...kiss Ying...in front of all of us!"

He rubs his forehead and is breathing lots of small breaths then takes a bite out of his thumbnail. "You...want me...to kiss Y-Y-Y-Ying!"

Oh come on Sha Lin! I don't have cooties! Honestly. I'm sitting on the floor next to him and the fabric from my pink flouncy pants brushes past his crimson red pants. I scoot over half an inch, my knee lightly brushing his thigh just above his knee because my legs seem to have a mind of their own right now. I feel breathless as I tingle with butterflies in my stomach, yet I also feel quite relaxed at the same time.

He then continues, "Why would you put me through that I mean I already lost in front of everyone! I failed Ying when I stood up to her bully at the tournament!"

Evie tells him, "Oh don't worry about it! Denise was using nasty forbidden magic and her mom is the richest most powerful sorceress known to anyone!"

I scoot over again rest my thigh just above my knee on his thigh and I almost don't notice that I almost kicked Evie! Hopefully Sha Lin will take the hint that I'm comfortable enough with him.

Sha Lin shrugs, "Well Ying...forgive me."

He grabs my waist from the side and pulls me closer to him. I feel the magical fireworks of his soft lips against mine. I feel his breath breezing past my tongue, then he lightly bites on my lower lip and presses it between his lips. As his mouth pulls back he gently pulls my lower lip with it. We both open our mouths wide, I close my mouth with his, and we close puckered, making a sweet lip smacking noise. His face is like so red right now but it's like so cute! My face and body are quite warm and my stomach is fluttering so much! Uh oh, my cheeks are probably red too.

Nessa says, "Oooooooohhhh you two liked your kiss didn't you?"

Gosh Nessa you aren't helping!

Now it's Abby's turn to dare.

"Truth or dare?"

My eyes shift left and right, "Umm...dare?"

"Okay Ying...I want you to put on your worst day makeup!"

"What!? That'd still take so long!"

"Ugh fine...okay how about you match like your worst colors!"

"Okay but if you think I look weird please don't laugh at me!"

I run upstairs and look through my closet...chartreuse and pewter? No...that actually works...but then again if you're wearing gray to ground chartreuse why even wear it?

Hmm, I found my orchid box pleated skirt with the hemline just past my knees. I need a bold clashing color to pair this with so I'm going to pair it with an ivory ruffled top and coral cropped coat...that looks kinda good actually, so I wear pair it with red stockings and a cropped coat and turquoise top.

Evie Abby Ronnie and Nessa look like they're trying so hard not to laugh. Hey you asked for me to dress badly okay!? At least Sha Lin isn't laughing at me.

Evie tells me with a giggle, "Your shoes look comfortable!"

Ronnie asks Abby truth or dare and Abby confidently answered, crossing her arms with her chin up, "Dare."

"Okay Abby...I dare you to... wear Ying's pretty lime green all star bows, curtsey, and say 'I'm a pretty little princess!'"

Abby's tone sharpens as she throws Ronnie a mean glance.

Abby comes back with my all star bows and feels embarrassed. Abby really isn't into girly things but we love her so much. I guess this is kinda funny because she told me I was too girly before. She was trying to be nice at the time but it came off wrong.

Nessa whispers to Ronnie, "Wow that was so savage!"

Mom comes over, "Hey...I know you girls are having fun but you really need to sleep!"

Strix walks in and tells Sha Lin and Pip, "How would you two like spending the night as men!"

"Oh my gosh I'd love that so much!" Pip eagerly exclaims.

Sha Lin also seems pleased, "Aww yeah!"

It's okay, I don't want that gorgeous baddie Sha Lin seeing how terrible I look in the morning.

"Hey...let's all sleep in my room! We can even do makeovers in the morning!"

Ronnie's face lights up through her tired expression, "I'd like that!"

Evie then replies, "Oh my gosh I love you so much Ying! We didn't pack enough clothes tho and yours are too small for us."

I feel a fluttery feeling, "Hey Evie how would you like the bed? You won and it's the least I could do for such a good friend!"

"No thanks! I'd rather sleep on the floor with you guys! We won as a squad since it was our teamwork that got us so far!

Evie is sleeping to my right and Ronnie and Nessa are sleeping close to my couch. I write in my diary but what if Pip wakes up, reads it, then tells people my deepest secrets? I trust he won't because Sha Lin would be so mad at him! Besides he's probably having so much fun with Strix he wouldn't even think of it, then again I am talking about Pip so who knows? Pip would think that's fun.

I kinda still feel bad about not saving Ronnie and Nessa when I could. Am I a bad person for not seeing them in danger? I know it was just a game and we all had fun together. I snuggle with my pangolin plush, look over to my friends, look at the gorgeous palms and stars over the ocean, and fall asleep.


End file.
